Can't ignore the flashcards
by Danielle18
Summary: Mark & Juliet's continued story. We can't choose the one's we love... not even if they are married to our best friend. But I guess the heart wants what the heart wants...
1. one

"I suppose it _was_ roguishly charming..." Mark raised an eyebrow and rubbed the stubble on his chin as he hesitantly paced around his apartment.

He quickly turned on his heel and started back the other way, towards his bathroom. "This charismatic little endeavour was supposed to be the _end _of something...." He turned around abruptly once again, scratched his chin a little harder and quickly sucked in some air ".... something very, very wrong... and sick... and stupid.... And....and...._wrong!'_

Turning again, he tilted his head to the side slightly, as if in quiet contemplation "but it hasn't ended anything... it's done the bloody opposite... _she's _done the bloody opposite!"

He stopped his manic pacing and threw his hands in the air, then dropped them like dead fish by his side as he sucked in more air, straightened his head and whispered, "She _kissed_ me for _god sake_!".... and then, he gave the smallest of smiles.

Across the street from St. James's Park, Juliet wasn't coping much better.

_To me, you are perfect...._

She spat out the white foam, turned the tap on and filled her mouth with water, rinsing thoroughly. She straightened, and looked at herself in the cabinet mirror, hard.

She turned her head slightly, admiring her high cheekbones and fairly clear skin.

Reaching up and gathering her shoulder-length hair into a piled bun, she took a closer look at her long neck, and pouted slightly as she continued to marvel. _...To me, you are perfect..._ his words echoed somewhere in her heart.

"Perfect?" she whispered ever so quietly as she stared at her reflection.

"What are you doing"?

She jumped, her hair falling around her shoulders again. She stared at Peter in the mirror, standing behind her wearing boxers and a plain white t-shirt.

"Ahh...nothing" she answered quickly, hearing her heart pounding in her ears.

He gave a cheeky smile, and stepped inside the bathroom, behind her, tucking his arms around her middle and delving his lips into her neck.

Coming up for air, he whispered in her ear "perfect..." and she blushed as he started kissing her again.

..._And my wasted heart will always love you..._

"Peter..." she suddenly spoke his name, a little snipe in her tone as she turned to him, gently pushing him away.

"What?" he was still smiling, which made it very hard for her to refuse him as he looked pointedly and lovingly into her chocolate brown eyes.

Cracking a little, forced smile, she cocked her head slightly to the side, and tried pouting her lips again as she had done in the mirror. "Look... I have this god-awful headache...and...it's probably because I'm under all this bloody stress... what with Christmas coming up... and both our families coming down...and I _still _haven't found a single, bloody guest who has a decent _bloody _photo of our wedding...and..."

"Well didn't Mark have a video tape? That was all you wanted... a video... right?"

Her mouth was agape. Her eyes wide... and she was sure the colour was draining from her face as the silence dragged on.

"Well, didn't he?" Peter asked again.

She blinked. "Ah...no...it was crap...Mark is crap with a camera.... terrible...friggin terrible...rubbish!" she vomited the words, desperate to get them out convincingly. Which, she failed to do.

Peter raised an eyebrow.

"He's a bastard, isn't he?"

Her eyes grew wider. To the size of billiard balls...

"Wh...what?!" she breathed.

Peter ran a hand through his hair, and turned around, walking towards their bed...Juliet following closely.

"Jesus! I knew this was why you hadn't mentioned anything....I am going to _kill _him!"

Peter took a seat on the edge of the bed, his teeth clenched as he stared at the carpet, shaking his head slightly.

"No...no! This is not Mark's fault...if anything its _my _fault for...."

"No, no babe! This is just Mark being...Mark...he's always hated my taste in women!"

"...If I hadn't have..." Juliet was mid-sentence, when she bit her tongue and stared down at her husband. "Pardon?"

He looked up, seeing she was hurt. He stood infront of her, reaching for her hands and staring into her eyes comfortingly, "Look... it's not you... he can just be a jerk sometimes, ok?" she gave a small nod. "Let me talk to him tomorrow... see if I cant convince him to be civil towards you..." He kissed his wife's forehead lightly, "after all, you are my wife...and he'll just have to get used to you, wont he?" he smiled, and she nodded again.

"Let me go downstairs and get you an aspirin!" he said, letting go of her hands, leaving her standing alone in their bedroom.

She could still taste his lips on hers. They were cold, but the kiss had warmed her... he tasted a little like beer.... perhaps that's how he'd found the courage to stand before her and admit his crush.

She slowly raised a finger, and traced the outline of her lips... where his kiss still lingered.... She smiled.

AUTHORS NOTE

Right, I only recently saw Love Actually. Fell head over heels for the Mark/Juliet story (the flashcard scene hooked me) and I just had this urge to write a few little chapters about what could have happened after that kiss... I have not, as yet, written any other chapters. But I will, if there is any at all interest in this story. So, please review. Comments, complaints, suggestions are all welcomed and encouraged!

On a more IMPORTANT NOTE.... Could everyone that reads this please send in a request to , asking them to add 'Love Actually' to the movies categories. Perhaps, that way, we could see a lot more fanfics for this lovely (please describe the category, which area it falls under, and whether you have stories written for it)


	2. two

Mark outstretched a clumsy hand as he fumbled for the phone.

He heard his lamp knock over; a few coke cans clatter to the ground... finally he grasped the phone, brought it to his ear that was hidden underneath a pillow and croakily spoke; "Hello?"

"He's coming over"

Mark was silent for a moment, still trying to register and co-ordinate what was happening around him. "Huh?" he snorted. "Who....who is this?"

"It's...." the voice trailed off.

"Huh?" Mark asked again.

"Juliet.... It's Juliet, Mark!"

His eyes opened wide, and he struggled to come out from underneath his heap of pillows and blankets. He held the phone close as he sat upright, taking a side-glance at his clock, it was 7:30.

"Juliet?...ahh....what....how are....what?" He fell over his words, but quickly shook his head, blinked and cleared his throat once again, trying to gain some bravado in his voice, act natural... unnerved.

"Ah, Juliet, eh? How....how are you?" He asked, raising an eyebrow slightly, his voice was deep and husky... he hoped to god that he sounded cool.

"Peter..." She blurted on the other end, "Peter is on his way to you're place right now"

Mark's eyes grew wide, and whatever minute coolness he had was lost, "_What_?!" he practically screeched. "Is it because...Jesus! Juliet...did you..." he didn't even want to think about it.

"No!" She snapped, and then let out a sigh, "no...he thinks you were being a knob to me the other day, when I went over to look at the....err....video"

"What?" It was 7:34 in the morning; Mark Bradley did not function well until at least 8:30, and needed no less than 2 cups of coffee in his blood to do so... "Where would he get that daft idea from?"

Juliet sighed again, becoming impatient. "He just assumed you were the reason I was in a crabby mood!"

Mark gave a small nod, and both listened to the long expanding silence coming from either end.

"Soooo..." Mark breathed, ruffling his hair.

"Peter's coming over to try and convince you to...to be more civil towards me"

He couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. Juliet did not find the situation as funny.

"Considering what you know now, you gotta admit this whole thing is ironically funny." He said, "Isn't it?"

On the other end he was sure he could hear the slightest of small laughs.

"So, about what did happen....should we....you know...talk?"

The laughing stopped. He guessed that was a no.

"Ahhh...Mark, I'm still trying to process what happened..."

Just then, there came a familiar heavy banging on Mark's front door.

"Oh shit," he cursed under his breath.

"What? What?...Jesus...is it Peter?"

Low and behold. The man appeared before him, holding up Mark's spare key.

"Morning mate!" He half smiled.

Mark looked to him, his jaw dropped- he had to think fast.

He suddenly spoke, voice slightly shaky. "Yes...so wong tun noodles with extra pork...thankyou..."

"Goodbye Mark" Juliet whispered, and was confronted with the dull dead tone.

"Chinese for breakfast?" Peter raised an eyebrow.

Mark shrugged, spotting a woollen jumper thrown on the floor, he stood, picking it up and pulling it on. "Yeah well, I'm a bachelor....what can I say?"

"True, true" Peter nodded, tucking Mark's spare key into his pocket.

"So, what can I do you for, mate?" Mark asked, walking past Peter to the kitchen, where an empty coffee cup awaited.

"I'm actually here to talk serious..." Peter replied, following.

Mark threw him a strange look over his shoulder, and Peter laughed.

"Well...only a little"

Mark started to busy himself with the blender and coffee beans. Grateful to keep himself amused while Peter spoke about his wife... every time he mentioned Juliet's name Mark licked his lips, sure he could still taste her soft kiss, and his hands would shake just a little.

"...She's a great girl, Mark...honest, I think you two just need to get to know each other better, that's all"

He nodded, and stared into his black coffee before raising it to take a long sip.

"She thinks your great! Really...and she hates that we cant all be friends..."

Mark nodded again.

"...She's always mentioning how she has a single friend you could take out on a date...hell, we could all go on a date together! It'd be great!"

Mark raised his head. "Ahh...I don't do blind dates"

"Well, fair enough....I'm just throwing out suggestions, ya know?"

"Yeah, yeah I know"

"Give her a chance, please?"

Mark looked pointedly at his friend, forcing a smile he gave another small nod, "I don't know what it is about her..." he began, his voice uncertain, unsteady, "...I guess your right...I just have to get to know her better"

"That's all it is!" Peter agreed happily.

"So, I have this idea, a way for you to apologize and make up for being a complete ass this past year..." Peter began, "Jules is real cut up about not having any great footage of the wedding..."

"I told you, I don't have any!" Mark suddenly snapped.

Peter continued, ignoring his outburst, "I thought, instead, seeming as we didn't hire a professional photographer because I'm a complete tight-ass-twat...well I thought you could do a modelling session for us...you know, we get dressed up in the wedding outfits again, you take a few happy-snaps and you and Jules can start over, and my little lady is happy as Larry, cool?"

"You want me to take some pictures of you two?"

"Yeah, just a few to show the grandkids!"

"I don't think I can, mate...."

"Why not?"

"Well...because I don't do that sort of thing..."

"You're a photographer, right?"

"Yeah...but"

"So you can take pictures? Of anything?" Peter smiled, "I know it'll be hard for you, cause we wont be stark naked...but you can do it...just a few, to make Jules happy, please?"

He looked into his coffee cup again, nodding dully. "Yeah, swing by sometime this week" he murmured.

Peter clapped his hands together triumphantly, "Great! Jules will _love _this! She really will, thanks Mark, I owe you one!"

"Don't mention it"

"Sometime this week..." Peter repeated, as he headed for the front door, to let himself out, "thanks again!" he shouted, closing the door behind him.

"Bloody oath!" Mark hissed, slamming his mug down.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"You _what_?!"

Peter smiled, "I knew you'd be happy!"

_Happy? _Jules thought to herself. _Oh yeah, I'm bloody well over the moon!_

"But....Peter...Mark takes pictures of tits and buttock's...he doesn't _do _wedding photos!"

"Jules, the man is handy with a camera, he'll be great!" Peter held his mobile to his ear as he walked through the streets of London, side-stepping out of the way of another suit.

"I don't know about this Peter...I mean, you still haven't called _all _of you're relatives... maybe they have some brilliant photo's, and we wont have to hassle Mark about this" She bit her bottom lip.

"Jules?"

She turned around, putting the phone down for a moment as Marcy, one of her colleagues, held up two different curtain patterns. "What colour is the main wall again?" Jules asked.

"Dark Ginger?" Marcy held both patterns out closer for Jules to examine.

"Go the plain with a ginger coloured tassel!" she ordered, and placed the phone back to her ear.

"Peter?"

"Look Jules...I'm just around the corner from the office.... I have to go... love you!"

The phone went dead, "love you too,..." she whispered, putting it down.

She looked down at her watch, and bit her bottom lip again. "Marc?" she called.

The stout, curly haired woman with a soft face reappeared, "Yeah Jules?"

"Can you cover for me for just an hour?...."

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The place was deader than a Christmas tree farm in summer.

The occasional teenager or two came in, to gawk and giggle. Sometimes a couple would wander in, thinking he sold quaint little paintings of canals and landscapes, but were given a rude awakening when they saw the woman's breasts hanging on the main wall.

The artsy-type people from overseas poured in during the summer, when they were in London for business, and had heard about the MB gallery from word of mouth.

Mark roamed the wide gallery, admiring his own work, making mental notes to re-hang certain paintings, and continue with a particular idea... when he found a suitable model.

"Bit quiet, isn't it?"

He almost jumped out of his skin when he heard her honey voice.

"Oh well, I guess that's the way it gets around Christmas time.... My office is pathetically lifeless aswell!" she stood by his entrance, wearing an emerald green beanie, and holding her blue scarf and black coat in her arms.

He felt his face turning hot, "Err...hey....ahh...yeah...quiet, very quiet!" he blurted, running a hand carelessly through his hair. Trying to act natural. She knew the routine.

Next, he dug his hands in his jean pockets, and did his usual cool-as-a-cucumber stance.

She gave a small smile and a nod as she stepped inside his studio, she reached up, pulling off her beanie- her hair ruffled, but she smoothed it down perfectly with one run through of her long fingers.

She took a quick look around, at the hanging photos. "I like that one" she nodded towards the row of butt-naked men wearing Christmas hats; "Very yummy!" she smirked.

"Ahh, yeah" he tried smiling aswell. But looking at her only made him nervous. Nervous and sweaty. His palms were sweltering inside his pockets. But he was too consciousness to pull them out.

"So what are you...."

"I came here because..."

They both laughed as their sentences collided.

"You first!" Mark nodded.

Jules quickly sucked in some air. "Peter told me what you agreed to..." she started, "And I just wanted to say thankyou. Its very sweet of you....but I don't think we should..."

"I really didn't want to. But you know Peter, he can be so goddam persuasive!" Mark interrupted.

She gave a small nod and understanding smile, "yeah, yeah I know what he can be like!"

They stood awkwardly far apart, and tried to avoid connecting eyes as they waited for the other to say something... _anything_.

Mark cleared his throat, and Juliet let out a sigh of relief.

"Not much is happening here" he started, "Do you want to go out and grab a coffee?" he asked, his words shrinking inside himself as Juliet stared at him, clearly defensive about the proposed outing.

"Purely platonic!" Mark raised his hands in defence.

She bit her bottom lip, hard. And then, she smiled. "Yeah, that'd be great...."

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Juliet threw her head back as she laughed. Mark admired her as she did so...she had an infectious laugh.

She turned back to him, urging him to continue.

"So here I am, in my bloody boxers, freezing my ass off...yelling at Peter 'forget the stupid goddam chicken!'..."

She started laughing again, and reached out, lightly touching Mark's elbow, as if to steady herself. "So what happened in the end?" she finally asked, when her giggles had calmed.

"Well McCarthy found us both...two bloody human popsicles, Peter holding this crazy chicken in his arms...." He shook his head slightly and smiled as he relived the memory, "we were suspended for a week...but the footy team needed us back, so they started a petition and we were back after two days"

They continued strolling through James's Park, both rugged up in beanies, scarves and jackets, clutching their coffees.

"That's brilliant!" Juliet giggled.

"What? Peter never told you that one before?" Mark asked, taking a sip from his cooling coffee.

She shook her head slightly, "No... I suppose it was too embarrassing to share with me" she shrugged.

"Ah well, don't tell him I told you..." Mark elbowed her gently, "Pete and I had some great times in College, great times!"

She nodded, and stole a side-ways glance at him. "I cant believe all this time I just thought you were an absolute _twat_!"

He looked to her and grinned, feeling his cheeks blush, "yeah well.... I _was _an absolute twat!"

She looked out across the deserted park, too cold for people to venture outside; "I suppose you always tease the ones you like...." She whispered, in a fairly monotone voice, as if she regretted straight away, saying the words.

He said nothing, only took one last sip from his coffee.

He wanted to tell her another story from College.... He wanted to keep himself busy while around her, by cracking jokes and making her laugh, marvelling at the way her eyes lit up when she started to chuckle. If he could do this, then perhaps he could avoid having a serious 'talk' about their....kiss.

"You know its hilarious..." she started, not looking to him as she spoke, "I haven't even been married for 3 months and I already have _another _man in my life!" the way she said it, it didn't sound hilarious.

She suddenly stopped walking, and Mark had to turn around to face her again.

"Not that _you _are in my life... as if we are having an _affair_....just that, well you know...your another _man_...and we... I mean you told me....and then I...." She let out a little gasp, closed her eyes and cursed under her breath. "Just slap me right now! Tell me I'm a daft idiot!"

"You're a daft idiot"

She opened her eyes, a small smile creeping across her lips. She gently slapped him across the arm, and he feigned pain.

"Shut up!" she laughed again, and he couldn't help but smile.

She opened her mouth; about to say more, perhaps some more gentle taunting, when her phone rang.

She handed him her empty cup, and reached into her coat pocket, "probably the office" she whispered before pressing the button and answering it.

"Hello?" she said, in a song-sing voice, smirking at Mark as he watched her.

"Hey Babe, where are you, I just tried the office...?"

Juliet grimaced, and mouthed Peter's name to Mark who, in return, mouthed the word 'shit'! Very appropriate.

"Jules?" Peter spoke.

"Ahhh..." she looked to Mark for guidance.

He threw his coffee holding hands in the air and shrugged, then closed his eyes for a second of thought.

"Juliet?"

"Umm....well you see sweety...." She started, speaking very slowly.

Mark mouthed the words 'errand to run', and then pretended to run on the spot.

"Oh....I had an errand to run...." She spoke to Peter, looking to Mark, who nodded.

"Hmmm...ok, well what time will you be back? I'm getting off work early tonight and thought you might like a lift?"

"A lift? Yeah that'd be great...." She started, "oh no wait...I'm a while away...maybe you shouldn't bother?"

Mark listened for a second or two, as Juliet and Peter made merry chitchat. "Ok...so milk and bread?" she nodded as Peter marked off what they needed.

Mark felt as though he was intruding. So he turned around, and headed for a bin to get rid of the cups he was left holding.

He took a seat on a nearby bench, digging his hands deep into his brown coat pockets. Juliet continued to chat. Realizing Mark wasn't standing beside her anymore, she quickly whirled around, until she spotted him, gave a reassuring smile and rolled her eyes as Peter continued with their grocery list.

"Alright love, bye. Love you" she turned her phone off, and headed for the bench, cautiously taking a seat beside Mark.

"Is it always going to be this weird?" he asked, without turning to look at her.

She gave a nod. "Yep.... yep I think it most certainly will be"

"So, at barbeques. Parties. Get togethers...."

She nodded again. "It's going to be as weird as a donkey in a barber shop"

Now, he turned to her, grinning from ear to ear. "That's a pretty darn weird scenario....you think that up all by yourself?"

She nodded, and then turned to him, smiling.

There was a calm silence for a while, as they sat together. Until finally, Mark stood up.

"I better get going"

"Ok, thanks for the coffee....and the chicken story..."

He looked down at her, "hey...anytime...." And he started to walk back the way they had come.

She watched him go. And when he was a little while away, she called out to him, and he stopped to turn around. "Thursday?"

"What?!" He yelled back.

"Can you do the photo's on Thursday?"

He caught his breath for a moment, as he stared at her, green beanie and all...and finally "Alright! Thursday!"

She smiled when he turned his back and continued walking.

"Thursday..." he whispered to himself, with a smile.

Juliet continued to sit. And look after him. A twinkle in her eye.... He wasn't such a bad guy...infact....he was kind of...

"Brilliant" she said quietly to herself, smirking.

AUHORS NOTE

second chapter is long. Sorry about that. When your on a roll.... Also, I don't intend to write 45 chapters to this fic. 10, tops. So, sit tight, there's plenty more where this came from.

Please review.


	3. three

She had vaguely known of an appointment Peter had made for Thursday, with one of his old clients who had been faithful to him while swapping firms... Juliet had known this, but still shouted out to Mark that Thursday she and Peter would arrive for the photos.

"Can I just wear my business suit?"

"Did you wear you're business suit to the wedding?"

He paused, and Juliet turned away from the mirror to raise an eyebrow.

He shook his head, "no"

"Well then...there you go!" she turned back to the mirror, puckering her lips together with the fresh lipstick.

"I feel like an idiot walking down the street like this!" he whined, adjusting his pink collar.

"Your not walking down the street...we are catching a cab!" she corrected, "and its not as though you look ridiculously out of place...not like I would wearing this great big, white, feathered, blatantly obvious wedding dress!"

She walked briskly over to her wardrobe, where her dress hung safely in a bag, "ready then?" she smiled, pulling the bag out and draping it over her arm.

Peter sighed, huffed a little, and gradually stood. "Why _Thursday_?" He moaned.

Juliet grabbed him by the arm, "because it was the only day he was _free_!" she chimed, pecking him on the cheek.

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"Don't be forever about this, ok?" Peter sighed as he stood tall infront of a plain white curtain.

Mark moved his head from behind the camera, "somewhere you'd rather be?" he asked smugly.

"Not _rather _be...." He mumbled, adjusting his collar for the billionth time "..._have _to be!"

He looked impatiently to the closed door of the bathroom, where Juliet had ducked in at lest twenty-five minutes ago. Impatiently, he looked to his watch. "Bloody hell!" he grumbled.

"Relax, mate!" Mark said, loading film into the camera, which stood on a tripod.

Peter ignored him. "Juliet!" he called, "Babe?!"

"Don't get you're knickers in a twist!" Came the muffled reply.

Mark and Peter exchanged a glance; riddled with the typical male response any time a woman takes more than five minutes to get ready.

"But, sugar!....don't forget I have a..."

"A meeting! I know, I know, you fool!" she yelped.

Peter rolled his eyes, but smiled none the less.

Mark shook his head, and looked to the camera again, making sure it was on the right lens focus.

The door opened.

"Look at you!" Peter beamed.

Mark looked up. And found himself holding his breath.

Juliet connected eyes with him only briefly...with just the slightest look of admiration from him, she was blushing profusely.

Mark cleared his throat. Remembered the routine (exhale, inhale, exhale...) and thought it the best moment to make a snipe remark. "Still fits then?" he scoffed.

Peter couldn't help but smirk, so Juliet hit him playfully and pretended to ignore Mark's comment. Though somehow...it meant more knowing that it was a cover-up.

"Well come on...happy snaps!" Peter took Juliet's hand, leading her infront of the camera.

"Where do you want us, Mark?" He asked, clearly in a hurry to get this over and done with.

"Yes...what's my motivation?" Juliet added, giving a cheeky, if not nervous, smile.

Mark cleared his throat again, and ducked behind the camera, his finger ready on the button. "How about you just...cuddle a bit...pretend to be chatting...and laughing..."

Peter and Juliet did so. He tucked an arm around her waist, pecked her on the cheek, and she started to giggle.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

"Alright, now.... Juliet stand infront of Peter...Peter wrap you're arms around her, head on her shoulder!"

Snap. Snap. Snap.

He took the camera off its stand, and started to move around them. Closer, getting head shots. They continued to smile, until their jaws ached. "Now look a little serious.... deep in thought..." Mark ordered, and they did so, though it was hard to change emotions at the snap of a finger.

The film ran out, and the camera started to wind up. Peter glanced at his watch while Mark went to change the film.

"I have really got to be off!" He said, untangling himself from Juliet.

Her eyes grew wide, and Mark reappeared, having heard his friend's announcement.

"I really have to go!" He kissed Juliet's lips lightly, and looked pointedly into her eyes, "I'm sorry, babe...business." He apologized.

"Well, what am I suppose to do?" Juliet snapped.

"Don't you want some shots of just you?" Peter said over his shoulder, as he threw his coat on.

She shared a concerned and slightly nervous glance with Mark.

She gave a faint nod, "well...yes..." she started.

He walked back to her, kissing her forehead, "then stay! Take another roll of film...have fun...don't bite each others heads off!" Peter smiled, and turned on his heel, heading for the door.

Before either could protest, or suggest another day to wrap the shoot, Peter was gone. Out the door. Leaving Juliet and Mark in the quiet solitude of his studio.

They both looked to one another, and eased the silence with a husky laugh; "what a knob!" Juliet muttered, smiling as she stood, in her pristine, white wedding dress. Looking radiant.

Mark gave a nonchalant nod, and looked down to his camera. Juliet could feel the tension...like a rubber band being pulled tighter and tighter...

"Right then!" she announced chirpily, "lets finish this.... I am ready for my close up!"

"Ahhh...Juliet I'm not so sure....maybe you should go..." Mark began, rasing his head to look at her. Her almond eyes staring back at him, seizing his heart.

"Mark" she spoke.

"Yeah?"

"Take the goddam picture!"

"Right...right then..." he said, walking briskly towards her, crouching infront of her to get a different angle.

She looked down at him. Smiling. Basking in the glory of the flash.

Snap. Snap. Snap.

He stood, infront of her, raised the camera to his eye again. But then lowered it.

"What?" she asked, flinching as he stared at her.

"Nothing" he replied, raising the camera again. But he lowered it quickly...

"What is it?" She asked, smiling, trying to suppress her giggles.

"I just wanted...." He started, croakily.

"What?" she urged.

"I...I just wanted to say I had a really nice time yesterday, that's all"

The smile vanished from her lips. Mark quickly held the camera up, and pressed the button quickly.

"Mark..." she tried.

He ignored her. Too embarrassed to lower the camera again. He clicked the button and another flash went off in her face.

"Mark, can you just..." she struggled.

His finger was poised when she gritted her teeth, and raised her voice "Mark! Stop it!"

So he did. Revealing his heavy face. She just stared at him...her eyes soft; clearly sorry for yelling...her supple lips pouting slightly...she looked...

"Painfully beautiful..." he blurted quietly. But she still hear him.

She could say nothing. Just stare back at him. Aware of her pouting lips that were urging his to kiss her.... she hoped her eyes were saying all the things her heart wanted to...but her voice couldn't seem to find any volume. She completely forgot about her husband....at that very moment, standing before him...all she wanted was a kiss....and she hoped to god that he knew that.

"I'm...I'm sorry" he muttered, stepping back from her.

_Dammit!_

She closed her eyes and turned away, _damn, damn, damn!_

"I'm sorry, Juliet!"

"It's..." she struggled to find words, "it's fine, don't worry about it!" she assured.

"No! No, it's not fine!" He continued to ramble. "Its sick and twisted that I would like my best friends _wife_!"

She opened her eyes, looking at him, looking at her. She knew what he meant. But still, it hurt, for some unknown reason.

"Gee, thanks!" plagued with sarcasm.

He sighed, "I didn't mean it like that..."

She put a hand up, "no, no its alright. I know...it's just..."

"What?"

"No...it was just that..."

"Juliet, what is it?"

She didn't say anything. She took one giant step forward and did the simplest thing in the whole entire world.... she cupped his head in her hands, and placed her lips on his. She kissed him. Again. It wasn't soft and delicate...timid...like last time. Her lips lingered. They pressed hard and ruthlessly on his.

Finally, she let him go, took a step back, and horrified, brought a hand to her lips where his kiss had just lay.

"Oh...my.... weary heart!" she whispered, unable to look him in the eye.

He blinked, gasped for air and heard his heart beating in his ears. And then...he heard footsteps...running...for the door, which slammed shut.

He blinked again, and looked around him. "Jul..." he started. But stopped himself, racing for the door instead.

He flung it open, and saw a flash of blazing white running down the street.

"Juliet!" he yelped. Running after her.

She didn't turn around. Just kept running. And he knew that wasn't a good sign.

So he stopped. One, because he was completely unfit, and made a mental note to get a gym membership...and two, because he hadn't a clue what he was going to say to her when he did eventually catch her.

"Bollocks!" he yelled to the empty street. "Bollocks, bullocks, bullocks!"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Oh Jesus!"

"Oh...flaming, stupid, crusty...slag!"

"Stupid, stupid moronic.... Twatty knob!"

Juliet regurgitated these words as she paced around the kitchen in her small apartment. The bottom of her wedding dress fairly ruined with crusted mud and sleet on the hem.

She held a hand to her forehead, and closed her eyes as she tried to think of more abusive words. "Knobbly old hag!" she hissed to herself.

She considered ringing him to apologize. But realized this situation needed more than a phone call.... if anything, she would need to send him an elephant holding a sign that said '_Sorry I'm a great big huge slag and deserve to be shot_' in its trunk. That would do it. Perhaps?!

"Oh flaming heck!" she winced again.

How could she screw herself over so _bloody_ badly?

Mark's little fantastical crush could have been dead and buried _weeks_ ago if she hadn't been such a teasing little slag and decided to fuel his fantasy by _kissing _him! Oh no...she couldn't end this catastrophe there...she just _had _to do more damage by kissing the idiot _again_! And not just kissing him....not just a light peck like the first time....oh no, that wasn't enough for Jules the brain-dead twat...she had to go and _really _kiss him! The kind of kiss where you hear music serenading in the background...the sort of kiss you see in movies and think 'god, that's a good snog!'...the sort of kiss that makes you weak in the knees, gives you're heart a flutter....the sort of kiss that creates this...this..._moment_ that you could just live in _forever_!

"Shit!" she screamed.

She jumped about for a moment or two. Eventually calming down...taking a seat...holding her head in her hands and whispering ever so lightly "why did he have to be such a bloody _brilliant_ pash?"


	4. four

"Juliet?!"

She heard him, but thought she didn't have the strength to reply.

"Juliet?"

She closed her eyes, and willed herself; "I'm up here!" it came out a little croaky.

She heard his clanking footsteps as they ran up the stairs, and the stopped outside the bathroom door as he gave a little tap while slowly opening it, poking his head inside. A smile instantly crossed his face.

"Well...this is very tempting!" he smiled mischievously as he looked down at his wife sitting amongst the foamy bubbles.

She cracked a weary smile.

"How did the rest of the photo shoot go?" he asked, taking a seat on the edge of the bathtub.

She shrugged, and busied herself by delving her hands around the tub, looking for her sponge.

"Well...did he develop the film right away, or..."

She found it, and handed it, dripping, to Peter. She sat up, and emerged a little more from the water, turning around, indicating she wanted her back washed "ummm.... he said he'd get them to us in the next week or so..." she finally answered.

Peter started softly rubbing her smooth back with the sponge, dipping it in the water, and squeezing it so the water ran and tickled her spine.

"Did you stay much longer after I left?" he asked.

She nodded.

"So what did you two talk about...?"

She shrugged, "nothing really...just you..." she bit her bottom lip.

"Oh Jesus...that cant be good!" he chuckled.

She couldn't take it anymore. She slowly turned around, taking the sponge from his hand and dropping it back in the water, and she looked up at him, her eyes welling up a little.

"Jules...?"

She grabbed him by the collar, pulling him down a little so her lips could rest on his. He had to steady himself; by sitting on the bathroom tiles while Juliet kissed him, passionately. When she released him, they looked into each other's eyes; "I love _you_!" she smiled.

"I love you too, Jules!" he smiled back, and started kissing her again.

And somehow, Juliet thought this would make things better.... but that evening, as they made love...she only felt worse.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He dipped the blank sheet in the chemicals and watched as a close up of Peter slowly appeared, pale, and barely visible. While he waited for the chemicals to soak, and the picture to become darker and bolder, he took another sip from his Heineken.

He knew he was drunk. But that didn't affect the quality of his work...he wouldn't go stumbling around, knocking over toxic chemicals and ruining the film. He could do all this process with his eyes closed. His mother had been a photographer, for a newspaper. He'd practically been raised in the dark room, and knew his way around, better than he knew the back of his own hand.

The picture was finished. He put the bottle down, and reached for the tongs- hanging the photo up on the line. He hadn't got to Juliet's role of film yet...he didn't quite have the courage. So he took another swig from his bottle.

He had considered phoning her. But he was worried Peter might answer, and that would be awkward. He also thought it was _her_ duty to call _him_. After all, _he _hadn't been the one that initiated _both _kisses!

He stood, looking at the row of 20 or so pictures of Pete and Jules. They looked good together. A handsome couple. Clearly in love.... it made him sick.

"Bollocks!" he muttered.

Infact, since Juliet's hasty escape that afternoon, those were the only words he seemed capable of speaking... all day, just waddling around the apartment, every so often remembering how soft her lips were.... how good she smelt.... a flash of white wedding dress running away from him, and he'd suddenly burst out; "Bollocks! Bollocks! Bollocks!" like a mad man.

He felt like a right idiot!

He looked down at the last role of film.

He had an urge to open the case outside, where the studio lights would kill Juliet's pictures.

He didn't know why...perhaps to get back at her...but for what?

Kissing him? Well...to be perfectly honest, he didn't half mind that. He wasn't about to struggle from her lips.

Jeopardizing his friendship with Peter? ...No, he was just as guilty of that. And it wasn't as though Juliet wasn't endangering anything precious either. I mean, her _marriage _was on the line. Her marriage of 2 months...the thought made Mark deathly ill.

Oh no...he was angry with Juliet because she had kept the fire burning. He had gone to her house, ready to proclaim his love, and then bury his admiration in a deep, dark pit, never to be thought of again.

But...Juliet, being the kind-hearted darling she was...thought she owed him something for his courage. A kiss?

Well....a kiss changes everything. A kiss kept Mark's hope alive. And he loved her even more for it.

"Bollocks!" he muttered again. Slamming his Heineken bottle down and reaching for the film case.

The truth was. He didn't hate her at all. He hated himself for loving her.... when he knew he couldn't have her. It was pathetic and pointless. An unhealthy infatuation that not only endangered his friendship, but _her _marriage. And that wasn't fair!

He worked on the film, a little reluctantly. He half hoped the chemicals would sour and wreck the photos. Making them bubble and melt into a gooey skin.

But alas, he was too good at what he did. And they turned out beautifully.

Her big brown eyes, soft pink lips, stray pieces of hair that fell about her tanned shoulders.... It was all perfect. She looked radiant.

Just as he had done with the others, he made copies of the best pictures. He made half in colour, half in black and white. He enlarged one or two really great close-ups, and minimized a few to fit in small photo frames.

He also made one particular picture wallet-sized. He tucked it away in his own jean pocket, photo of Jules, her eyes twinkling with laughter, throwing her head back slightly.

He hung all the photo's up on the line, and glanced down at his watch as he stepped out of the darkroom. It was three o'clock in the morning.

"Bollocks" he muttered again, running a hand through his matted hair.

He sprawled out on his bed, and was soon snoring...occasionally muttering "Bollocks" as he dreamt a little of Jules.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Babe!"

Moaning, she rolled onto her stomach and put a pillow on top of her head. Blocking out the world.

"Jules..."

"Go-err-way...!"

Peter rubbed her back a little as he tried coaxing her out. "It's seven o'clock.... you've got to get to work."

"Be a darl and call in sick for me?" came the muffled reply.

He laughed. "And say what?"

She moved the pillow a little, to reveal one sleepy eye, she looked up at him; "Tell them you're wife shagged her brains out last night and can't walk...so she is unable to go to work today!" and with that, she re-covered her face with the pillow.

He laughed louder. "C'mon, Jules!"

"Petey..." she whined.

"What will you do all day?"

She moved the pillow again, "Watch Oprah...then East Enders.... maybe a little neighbours...."

"Oh, a very productive day ahead, then?"

The pillow moved as she nodded.

"Well if you insist on giving yourself bedsores.... at least come up with a better excuse for it than _sex_!" he smirked.

She rolled over, flinging the pillow to the floor. "Fine! Tell them....I had some bad egg-nog and I've been in the bathroom all night puking from _both _ends!"

He scrunched up his nose, and reached under the covers, tickling her stomach. She giggled furiously.

"The flu it is then!" he smiled, standing up. She nodded, pouting.

"Thankyou my dear!" she said, dramatically...and then she coughed a little.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Three fubu-wearing teenage boys were standing infront of a large image of a breast being groped.

They looked on in amazement, made gargling laughter and pointed at the nipple that was showing slightly.

Juliet rolled her eyes. She hated to think what was going on in their pants right now.

"Oy! You lot!" she scolded. They turned around, looking her up and down. They started elbowing each other excitedly. "You know.... it _is _art!" she said, matter-of-factly.

"More like free porn!" one of the pimply faced juveniles scoffed. The other two started elbowing him and laughing. "Hell yeah!" they encouraged.

She rolled her eyes, and put her hands on her hips. "Piss off then!" she hissed.

"Piss off then!" they all mimicked as they headed for the door.

"Don't we get a kiss first?" the brave one asked, smacking his lips together as he passed her.

"A bloody _Liverpool _kiss...." She replied, turning around and staring him down as he sluggishly walked out the door "slag" she heard him mutter.

"Thanks for that...."

Juliet turned around, surprised to see Mark standing before her, red bags underneath his eyes, bed hair, wearing the same clothes he had on yesterday.

"I was shit scared of them myself,..." he muttered.

She gave a small nod, "good thing I was here then", she replied lamely.

He said nothing. Just looked down at his Doc Martins.

The silence was sickening. Hanging in the air like a thick fog... Juliet couldn't take it anymore!

"So...hand up if you feel like a complete donkey's arse!" she smiled weakly and sheepishly raised her hand.

Mark looked up, but didn't bat an eyelid.

She sucked in some air and brought her hand back down.

"Look, Mark..." she started, but he interrupted quickly.

"Aren't you supposed to be at work or something?"

She nodded. "Yeah...I decided to take the day off...."

"Does you're husband know you're wagging work to see me?"

She blushed, tucking a piece of stray hair behind her ear, as she whispered "no"

"Right then...that's just _great_!" he muttered, shaking his head in disgust.

Juliet frowned as she watched him, "Look, mate! I came here to bloody well clear the air with _you_!"

He scoffed as he looked back at her, but she wouldn't let him get a word in.

"I just don't want to go on like this...with all this _crap _between us!"

"Well, there wouldn't be any _crap_ if you hadn't _kissed_ me!" he yelped back.

That shut her up.

Mark instantly bit his tongue.

"Right..." she breathed, running a hand through her limp hair.

"I'm sorry, Jules...I had a few beers last night...my head is killing me...." He started, but she raised a hand.

"No, no...your right... I am a great, big fat slag who deserves to have her arm cut off with a blunt knife!"

He winced at the thought that made his stomach churn. "I wouldn't go that far,..." he said, grabbing his tummy.

"I am a _shocker _of a wife!" she continued, "I am not 3 months into my marriage and I have already cheated on him..." she laughed back tears, "with his _best friend_!"

"Hey.... the shit flows both ways!" Mark contributed, head throbbing from the thought of his backstabbing ways and the still prominent hangover. He vowed to never touch another Heineken bottle as long as he lived.

Tears pricked at the back of Juliet's eyes. She quickly sucked in more air as she gave in to blubbering like a fool.

Mark looked to her as she tried swiping at the fresh tears.

"Oh god..." he murmured under his breath.

He took one tentative step forward, hesitated, and then took another.

"There, there..." he tried comforting from a distance. But, quietly, she continued to cry.

"Oh, come on Jules...." He tried. But it was no good. She'd need a pat on the back...

"Juliet..." he stood beside her, reached a hand out, and rested it on her shoulder. "I'm a knob. I'm sorry!"

She didn't stop.

"Hand up if you feel like a donkeys arse!" he nudged her as he raised a hand.

She kept crying. Softly.

"Oh ChristJules!" he breathed, "don't make me stand here and watch you like this...you know it bloody well _kills _me!"

She looked to him; red, puffy eyes blinked back tears. "Sorry" she said, sarcasm dripping.

"Oh!" he ran a hand through his hair, and suddenly got an idea.

"Oh! Oh!" he said happily, "I have something for you! A...a present..." he dashed off, behind the desk. Emerging with a large yellow envelope in his hand.

She warily took it from him. "What is it?"

He rolled his eyes and smiled.

She opened the sealed bit at the top, and pulled out her wedding photos. Twenty of them at least, different sizes, some coloured, some black and white.

"Oh God!"

"You like them then?"

She flipped through them quickly. They were gorgeous.

"These are...." She tried to find words. Looking into his face, she rubbed away tears and smiled a little. "...Really, Mark...these are just so wonderful!"

He shrugged, embarrassed.

She stared down at a picture of her and Peter. She was standing infront of him, his arms tucked around her middle. Another tear slithered down her cheek.... "I can't believe what I have done to him!" she whispered.

He opened his mouth, about to try his hand at comforting her again. But she turned to him quickly, resting a hand on his shoulder as she searched his eyes, "what I've done to _you_!"

He knew he should say something. Anything. But.... no words seemed to want to come out. So he just stood there, her hand on his shoulder.

She held the pictures close to her while she spoke. "Before the water works started.... I just wanted to come here and say how sorry I am..."

He nodded.

"...Really, I don't know what I was thinking...yesterday, the day you came to my house...I have no idea what was going through my mind when I..." she struggled for just a moment, "...when I, kissed you"

"And the thing is...before I knew how you felt.... before all this mess started... all I wanted was for you and I to like each other. To become friends.... or at least be able to be in the same room together.... for Pete's sake!"

He so badly wanted to say something. But all he could do was nod and 'hmmm' while she spoke. And occasionally glance over at her hand as it rested on his shoulder. It gave him shivers.

"...Because Peter loves you like a brother, and I'd hate to think that I would come between you just because you and I couldn't get along!?..."

"Hmmm..."

"So, what I'm trying to say is. Before all this kissing business got started, the only thing I wanted was for you and I to get along.... And I still want that. So, I think we should just put this all behind us and...well...get along...for Pete's sake"

"Hmm..."

She removed her hand. Mark finally exhaled.

She laughed a little, "Listen to me ramble!..." she blushed, "I get that way when I'm nervous..."

"Hmmm" he nodded.

"So...I've said my peace, I think I should get going..."

He nodded.

"Thankyou for the photos. They really are lovely."

Nodded again.

She turned, took two steps, and stopped.

Slowly, she turned back to Mark, stepped back to him, rested a hand on his chest...leaned forward...his heart stopped...and she.... kissed him on the cheek. Pulling away, she smiled, a broad smile.

"Purely platonic?"

He nodded. So did she. And then, she was on her way again.

And now, more than ever, Mark wanted to say something...._anything_! For god sake!

"Screw it!" he mumbled.

Her hand was on the door handle.

"Why did you do it, anyway?"

She stopped, but didn't turn around.

"Kiss me, I mean..." he cleared his throat and shifted his weight, nervously, "...Was there a particular reason.... was it on impulse...sympathy?" a thought smacked him in the face, "Was that it? You felt sorry that I'm single so you thought you'd give me a sympathy kiss.... as if to say 'sorry you're life sucks and you have noting better to do than hit on you're best friends girlfriend'...was that it?"

She turned back to him, and shrugged. "It was a mistake...can we just leave it at that?"

He nodded, and she turned back to the door.

"Actually, no!"

She sighed, heavily, and turned back to him. "Why does it matter, Mark?"

He shrugged, digging his hands into his pockets. "Oh I don't know...I guess its because I don't want to have a many sleepless nights about this, ya know? I'd rather have the answer now and save me the sleep depravation later...if you don't mind"

She looked to the ground, back to the door...and finally rested her eyes on Mark, biting her bottom lip, she sighed again. "What you did..." she started, and then lost the words.

"Yeah..." he urged, stepping towards her.

She leaned against the door. "...It was incredibly romantic...and nobody has ever don't something like that for me...and I doubt anyone ever will again!"

"Oh"

"Yeah...."

"It was romantic?"

She nodded.

"Not ever Peter has done something to top that...?" he asked, knowing it was dangerous territory.

"Well he doesn't exactly know there's been a benchmark set, Mark!" she snapped.

"Yeah, what I meant was...hasn't he done something for you, before that...you know...cliché and all...but, swept you off you're feet?"

She scoffed, and gave a little smirk. "So now you think you swept me off my feet, eh?"

He shrugged, "Well I put a lot of thought into that!"

"Well it was very sweet...."

"And the second time?"

"What?"

"Yesterday...when you kissed me for the second time.... I didn't have any cardboard or a Christmas carol tape with me...so what was so incredibly romantic that you had the urge to pash me?"

She opened her mouth. Then closed it again.

"Well..."

She blinked. "I...I don't know exactly..."

"Not a clue?"

She shook her head.

"So...the urge just came from nowhere?"

She shrugged.

"Do you...." He cleared his throat, "do you want to kiss me again, right now?"

She bit her bottom lip, and smiled nervously, avoiding his stare. "Mark..."

"Do you?"

His words made her look him in the eye, her smile gone now. "Yes" she said simply, feeling naked and vulnerable as he continued to look at her.

"I'm not doing anything particularly romantic to provoke another kiss.... but you still want to, anyway.... just while I'm standing here...being me?"

She nodded. "yes..." she whispered.

"Right then" he breathed, shaky and perplexed.

"Do you...want to kiss me?" she spoke so small, he hardly heard her.

He took a step towards her, "every time I see you...I want to kiss you..."

She laughed nervously, "so...that would be a yes..."

Another step. "Yes!" he said, defiantly.

"I don't know what we're doing anymore..." she started, "...if I kiss you right now...this will no longer be just a little mistake we both made and can move on from..."

"Still doesn't change the fact that _I _want to kiss you right now"

"I know what you mean..."

The envelope she was clutching fell to the ground as he pushed his body up against hers, leaning into her lips...kissing her softly at first...then harder as she wrapped her arms around him.

And both knew it wasn't a little mistake. It was deliberate...and wrong...and at the same time, strangely...it felt _right_.

She pulled away for a moment, trying to catch her breath.

"Is there somewhere we can go?..."

He stopped kissing her neck, and looked into her almond eyes, big, wild and scared as they stared back at him. Waiting for an answer.

"Are you..." he started.

"Yes"

He reached behind her, locking the door to the gallery.

"There's the loft upstairs,..." he said.

She reached for his hand, "lead the way" she whispered, kissing his lips.

AUTHORS NOTE

Thanks to those of you who have reviewed, and been very kind.

I know I'm cramming a lot into my chapters. But as I mentioned once before, I don't want to drag this out to anything over 10 chapters.

I've been rather ok with my updating aswell, I think. I guess its because I really love this whole Mark/Juliet saga. I don't know how you'll find this chapter.

Yes, they do have s-e-x....might be too soon, and therefore too unrealistic. But oh well, I was writing this and it seemed to fit at the time. I might wake up tomorrow and realize it was a horrible mistake, but it's done now. If you hate it, think it screws up the story or the characters...then complain in a review to me :) I don't mind, any feedback is welcome.

More to come very soon. So stay tuned. Thanks!


	5. five

He didn't want to fall asleep afterwards, because he knew she'd leave.

He'd outstretch an arm to her side of the bed, and feel nothing but bed sheets...and then he'd get that sinking feeling in his heart, and for the rest of the day not have a clue of what to do with himself. Should he call her? Should he wait for her to call him? Was this a once off..? All these thoughts would haunt him for hours and hours on end. Non-stop.

And then he'd be reminded that he had just slept with his best friends wife, and he'd start feeling guilty for treating their romp as any normal relationship...when it was anything _but_! He'd start thinking about Peter...he'd start torturing himself! Oh bollocks!

So, to save himself the worry...he tried to stay awake, by watching her as she slept. She was probably aware of his looking at her.... she was probably awake, but just waiting for him to nod off so she could escape.

He was thinking this while he started at her...watching her bare chest move up and down with calm breaths...her pink lips slightly parted...her perfect self paused in peaceful slumber.

He wanted to whisper her name. "Juliet". But wondered what would happen if she really _was _asleep. Perhaps she'd get agro at him for having woken her just so he could rack her with the guilt he'd been feeling for the past half hour... so he remained silent, just watching her.

He thought perhaps he should get dressed. Tiptoe downstairs; reopen the gallery (as _if _there were hordes of people eagerly awaiting his works...), maybe nip down to the café across the street...buy her some coffee and a bagel.

But, what if she hates bagels. What if she's allergic and her head puffs up to twice it's normal size...not very appealing. Perhaps she'd be hurt that he tried poisoning her with a bagel that she is massively allergic to...and then she'd leave?!

Or...what if while he was at the café, she made her great escape.

He shook his head, frowned, and continued to stare at her. He was hopeless. He hadn't a clue what to do now...if this had been any other girl, one he'd picked up in a pub or at a party.... he'd get dressed, make a pot of coffee, and wait till she woke up on her own account. There would probably be a little awkwardness as she headed for the door, both knowing it had been a one-night-stand, noting more. Who cares? Move on!

But this wasn't just _any _girl. This was Juliet. Jules! He'd admired her from afar for too many years. And now, she was in his bed.... after making love to him....lying naked next to him...Juliet...Jules! Just the thought made him hyperventilate. He didn't want this to just be a one off thing. Even though it should have been a _never _thing. It had happened. And now, he wanted more. He wanted her. And most of all...he didn't want her to leave!

A slight movement under the covers interrupted his mad thoughts. She was waking up...._ brace yourself_, he thought.

She exhaled a little, as she stretched her long limbs. Eyes still closed. He couldn't tell if she was smiling because she knew where she was...or because it hadn't clicked yet?!

He moved his face close to hers, while her eyes were still unopened. "Hello!"

"Shit!" her eyes popped open as she stared at him staring into her eyeball.

He silently cursed himself.

"Sorry....sorry!" he recoiled, sitting up. _Bollocks, bollocks, bollocks!_

And then, she laughed. He sighed.

"Jesus, Mark...gimme a heart attack!" she smirked, sitting up aswell, bringing the covers to her chest.

There was a mattress with a sheet on it up in the loft. Mark sometimes slept up there when he had been working too late...

He turned to her, cracking an easy smile. "Sorry..."

Just then, to his utter surprise and delight...she wrapped her arms around him, and rested her head on his shoulder. This was a bloody good sign!

"How are you?" he asked, softly.

She sighed a little, but didn't remove her hug. "I'm.... slightly dazed...trying not to think about how much of a slag I am."

"Your not a...." he tried.

"...I feel like I should torture myself, you know?" she interrupted, and he nodded.

"Yeah...yeah I know exactly what you mean"

"...I don't know how I'm going to face him tonight..."

He nodded again, and rubbed her thigh comfortingly with his hand.

"I'm afraid that the moment I see him.... I'm just going to throw everything up. Tell him every nasty detail.... not because I feel like I owe it to him.... I mean, that's just part of it.... but mainly because I'm selfish as hell and want to feel as though I'm the hero for being honest with him, you know?"

He nodded again; glad she was talking with him.

She untangled herself from his body, turning to look at him, "how do you feel?" she asked earnestly, bringing a hand to rub his back. He liked that.

He turned to her, and then looked down clumsily at his hands. "Well.... you know...I feel like...like I have just betrayed my best friend...mentally, for the last year and a half...and now, physically...so, basically I feel lower than the dirt beneath my fingernails...."

"Lovely..." she whispered, trying to lighten his words. He smiled, only a little. "Yeah...." He replied, heavily, "And I know that for the rest of my life, I'm never going to stop feeling this way...feeling this sorry"

She lowered her eyes, and kissed his shoulder. He turned to her, his eyes softened by her pain.

"But at the same time.... you know, its like my heart has these two sides..." he started, warily. "...One half is as heavy as an anvil, feeling totally guilt-ridden and low.... and the other side...well...is jumping for joy.... because I was with _you_"

She leaned in, kissing his lips. When they pulled away, she thought she could see every piece of emotion he was feeling...just by reading his eyes.

"I want to feel guilty and sick right now..." she began, "...But I cant because I think...perhaps...just maybe..." she breathed, "we might just have something here?"

With that, he took her head in his hands and kissed her furiously. All over. Light kisses down her neck, across her breasts; down her stomach... he couldn't believe how happy he was to be committing adultery. And neither could she.

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She breathed in his scent as he kissed her goodbye.

She pulled a little on his shirt collar...pulled him in for a quick, light kiss on his forehead. "Goodbye" she whispered, smiling.

"I'll see you..." he started.

"When I drop by again!" she finished, turning the door handle.

He watched her walk out, and start down the road. He had never, in his entire 26 years of life...felt sadder to see someone leave.

Juliet was thinking much the same thing, when she was stopped _dead_ in her tracks by an approaching figure.

"Jules?" they called out, squinting.

She thought of turning in the other direction and running bolt fast. But thought that might look a little too suspicious...

"Peter!" she smiled instead.

"I thought you were going to be very productive today and watch East Enders?..." he said, stopping infront of her, clearly perplexed as to why he was seeing her, one block from Mark's studio.

She smiled nervously, literally shaking in her runners. "Well...I just dropped by..."

"You didn't go see Mark, did you?"

Her jaw was hanging open as she stared at him, wide eyed. If she said no, what other reason could she give for coming this far out of her way?

"Well, yes...actually...I did!"

"Why....?" He began. She couldn't tell if there was a hint of raised eyebrow.

"To pick up the photos!" she smiled coolly, reaching inside her dark red coat and pulling out the yellow envelope.

"Oh, right...are they fantastic or what?" he beamed.

She nodded, "they are fantastic!"

She felt like throwing up. Standing infront of her husband, holding their wedding photos in one hand....Mark's cologne all over her body....his lips still faintly remembered....her body aching for him. She felt like vomiting, right there and then!

He took the envelope from her and eagerly tore into it, flipping through the photos.

"Good one of me!" he smiled, "oh! You look gorgeous, babe!" he continued to beam.

She nodded numbly, still staring at him in some state of shock. "Peter, what _are _you doing here?" she finally gasped.

He looked up, shook his head a little, and gave a 'stupid-me' look. "Oh! Well....I was on my way to see Mark..."

"Why?!" she snapped, causing Peter to stuff the photos back in the envelope and look at her, perplexed. "Actually, it's a surprise!" he said, with a _definite _eyebrow raise.

It only took ten minutes to walk back around the corner to Mark's studio. But in that ten minutes, her arm linked with Peter's as he chatted about his new clumsy secretary who called him 'sugar' and 'hun', which he found mildly inappropriate seeming as she was only 23 years old....all Jules could think was 'my god, he knows _something _is up and he's going to knock Mark's lights out...'. Her head was definitely throbbing. She couldn't imagine going into work tomorrow. Or, ever again, for that matter.

Mind you, she didn't know why, if Peter suspected something, he would be acting so darn jolly right now. Talking about some bimbo called Claudia who called her husband 'sugar' while handing him some papers to sign. And then, Jules got a stab of guilt. Here was her husband; calmly talking to her about a mild flirtation in the office...he was being completely open to her about a harmless, flirtatious secretary....probably because he didn't want her to drop by one day and wonder why some short-skirt-wearing, blonde-bob, cleavage-spilling secretary had given pet-names to her husband?!

He was being open, honest and calm about _nothing_ and here she was _bonking_ his bloody best friend. Oh god, she definitely felt like vomiting.

They arrived at Marks, Jules hurrying up the stairs, pushing infront of Mark who found her behaviour quite peculiar this afternoon.

She burst through the door, to see Mark behind the desk, his head looking up and smiling when he saw her.

"Back so soon you...." He started, but silenced himself when he saw a stone cold, 'shut-up-or-I-will-cut-you're-balls-off' look come across her face. He thought himself extremely lucky when he saw Peter come through the door behind her. Mark was going to say 'back so soon you great big slag?', intending to raise an eyebrow in a Clark Gable type-manner. Phew. Lucky he had shut up wen he did.

"Ahh, Peter!" he recovered, shakily. He came out from behind his desk, digging his hands nervously into his pockets. He suddenly felt like being sick. "Come to get the photo's?...Well I already gave them to Jules...." Mark blurted, and instantly abused himself silently. What if Jules had told a lie, and Peter had no idea she'd come to see him today?! Bugger, bugger, bugger!

"Ah no, I'm here for another reason entirely..." Peter replied, looking smug.

Mark gulped back acidic vomit.

Jules could feel the tension as both men exchanged worrying glances between each other. She had to break the silence. "C'mon you great big twat!" she snapped at Peter, glancing quickly at Mark, "What the hell is this good news you spoke of?"

Mark snuck a look at Juliet while she spoke pointedly to Peter, who was smiling slyly at his wife.

"I came here to tell my best friend to congratulate me!"

"Congratulate you?" Mark repeated.

"What for?" Juliet finished.

"On getting a promotion..." Peter began "You are now looking at new partner of Wallace and Wallace!"

There was a stunned, relieved silence. Peter looked from Mark, to Juliet and back to Mark. "Well!?" he said, throwing his arms in the air.

Juliet stepped forward, wrapping her arms around him in a bear hug. "You are so _bloody _brilliant!" she squealed.

Mark, suppressing the jealousy he felt shoot through his body at the sight of Peter and Jules hugging, stepped forward aswell, and shook Peter's hand vigorously when Juliet detached herself.

"Does this call for a dinner celebration, or what?!" Peter beamed.

Mark shook his head, "actually, mate..." he started to decline.

"Please Mark? You great big dork!" Peter bellowed, "join me and my lovely lady for a drink and a steak...to celebrate!"

"No, mate....I'm happy for you, but..." Mark tried.

"Let it just be us, babe?" Juliet interrupted. Mark couldn't help feeling slightly dejected, even though he didn't want to go.

Peter shot Juliet a silencing look.

"Nah, she's right Pete...you two go out...have fun!" Mark saved her.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

So that was how they spent their evening.

Mark alone, but not terribly unhappy, for he still had the lovely image of a naked Juliet clear in his mind. And her words, clearly indicating that they had started something that she did not regret and wanted to continue to explore. These thoughts were enough to keep him happy all night. As was the idea that he might see her tomorrow in her lunch break.

Meanwhile, Juliet sipped her wine and listened while Peter recited all of what happened that day at work. The exact look on the Wallace brother's faces as they calmly welcomed him into the partnership.... Claudia, the flirtatious secretary's kiss on the cheek for him. All the pats on the back and congrats he received.

Juliet nodded and smiled where was necessary. But she could hardly become too enthralled in the story, not with thoughts of Mark swimming about in her head.

"And of course you'll have to go out and buy a slinky new dress for the dinner they are throwing in two weeks time, for me...." He interjected her thoughts about Mark's fabulous ass.

She nodded, "great, a new dress!" she beamed half-heartedly.

"Anyway.... Garry Wallace said I had been showing great potential for the last five years...." Peter continued.

Juliet blocked out his ramblings, feeling slightly guilty for doing so, but she couldn't help it.

She wondered if Mark was terribly lonely...


	6. six

Juliet tapped the pen against her temple, staring into a space of red velvet curtains and beige bed linen.

"So, what ya think?" Marcy stood proudly, holding out both items for Juliet to inspect.

She said nothing. Just kept lightly taping her pen.

"Jules?!" Marcy encouraged, feeling hope dwindle. "Jules...have I hit the jackpot or what?..." still no response "won't these suit the Fitzgerald's apartment?"

"Huh?" was the best she got.

Marcy rolled her eyes. Juliet knew she was hurt.

"Oh, look Marc...I'm a bit worse for wear today....why don't you just choose whatever you want, ok?"

Marcy raised one brow. "_You're _letting _me _choose?" she scoffed.

Juliet thought for a moment. Well...not really _thought_ so much as _paused _as to appear to be in humble thought.

"Ummm....yeah, go for it!" she offered, a little lamely.

But that was all Marcy needed. She went scurrying out of the office, curtains dragging, happy as Larry.

Juliet sighed. Uninterested in anything lately.

She looked over at her little clock and rolled her eyes when she noticed she'd only been at work for 45 minutes. It was 9:50.

She had an entire _decade_ to sit through before her lunch break.... Before a shag with Mark! Bloody oath!

Their little trysts had been going on for a week and two days now. So far, no problems. But they were still being very uptight about everything. He wouldn't call her mobile, unless it was absolutely necessary, in which case he'd use the pay phone two blocks away. She'd always call Peter an hour before she left for Mark's, just pretending to be bored out of her wits at work and calling to make little kissy noises over the phone. Peter thought it was very sweet.

She felt sick every time she smacked her lips together. Her stomach would now literally lurch whenever peter said 'I love you'.

Honestly. It wasn't that she didn't love him. She did. He was amazing. Sweet. Generous. Great in bed. Very loving. Extremely attentive to her.

The thing was, so was Mark. He worshipped her. It wasn't as though he walked on eggshells around her. They had a laugh when they were together. They'd share a beer after sex and watch re-runs of the footy, yelling obscenities at the ref and pathetic players, acting like real yobbos.

It was a great, laid back, but still very serious relationship.... They took each other very seriously, and sometimes they wouldn't even make love, but talk for an hour instead. About everything. About nothing. About how bad they felt. It was great. He was great.

She suspected her feelings for Mark had grown rapidly over a period of just a few days. And she knew that was a bad sign. It made her feel sick that she wasn't just physically hurting Peter, but emotionally, she could feel herself pulling away from him and falling more and more for Mark.

Well, he was brilliant. She couldn't help herself.

"Juliet!"

She almost flew out of her swivel chair when Marcy interrupted her thoughts.

"Er, yeah?" she called in reply, calming herself. She found that when she was thinking about Mark, she felt insecure. As though people could look at her face and know straight away that she was thinking impure thoughts about someone other than her husband. She blushed.

"Phone!" Marcy yelled.

Juliet rolled her eyes, and gritted her teeth. Love her as she did, Marcy was a hopeless assistant. "Who is...." She started, but saw no point, as her yelling out would only provoke this screaming match further.

She picked the phone up and pressed the flashing red button.

"Hello, Juliet speaking!" she chimed.

"Jules" came a familiar, warm voice.

"Jamie!" she squealed.

She hadn't heard from her dear Jamie in _weeks_, not since his awful girlfriend, who Juliet never liked in the first place, cheated on him with his _brother _of all people. Sodden cow.

Well...what did he expect from a journalist, though you could hardly call her that since she works for _Hello!_ Magazine. As if the world needs more reports on Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez, for god sake!

"How are you daaarling?" Juliet giggled into the phone.

There was a slight pause as he breathed into the phone; she had hoped that he wouldn't be in much she same state as when he left after the 'Tiffany' incident. But from the sounds of it...he was worse.

"Oh shit, Jamie! You didn't go back to her, did you?" she had a thought, "or...she didn't come back to you on her knees, did she? Tell me you and Tiffany are not back together, Jamie! Jamie!"

"Er, no" came the simple reply.

"Well then, why so glum?" she asked, "you're supposed to be all refreshed and on the prowl again...you were supposed to have shagged a whole load of hairy, French women and gotten Tiffany completely out of you're system!"

Jamie was a dear, dear friend that Juliet was sure she could not live without. Actually, they were more than friend's...cousins to be exact, though the title never suited each other, and they much preferred to think of one another as buddies.

And though he was quite a few years her senior, they got on like a house on fire. They had grown up in a very posh area, with very snobby families who couldn't understand why Jamie wanted to go off and live a penniless life as a writer, and why Juliet wanted to start her own interior decorating company without any help from her wealthy father. But they understood each other. And remained close friends their entire lives.

She loved Jamie to death. He was brilliant. Handsome, intelligent, witty, a real sweetheart. But he was hard to understand, most of the time. Unless you were close to him, and understood how he worked. He was very aloof when upset. Keeping his feelings close to heart, allowing them to eat him up from the inside, like poison.

When things didn't go right in life, he would blame them on himself. Like Tiffany, for example. Seeming as the whole incident happened during Juliet's wedding, and the honeymoon was soon after, Jamie didn't want to disturb her during her happy days by bringing her down with his sad-sodden life. So he kept the whole cheating-brother-and-girlfriend thing to himself for two weeks. An entire two weeks!

By the time Juliet went over to visit him, he was a drunken, rambling mess. Completely sure Tiffany had left him either because; a) he didn't say 'I love you' enough b) Jeremy (brother) was better looking and better in bed c) he hadn't agreed to buy a hideous oak shelf for their apartment that she loved. The list actually went through to 'K', but those were the main 3.

It took Juliet the entire day to convince him to get out of England and relax, away from Tiffany, Jeremy and his whole 'sad-sodden-life', as he put it.

"Look, Jamie...how about we go grab a bite to eat right now?"

He sighed again. "yeah, alright"

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Jamie sat, stirring his cappuccino without actually drinking it, while Juliet tore into a blueberry muffin and ordered her second expresso.

"....I mean, she has these beautiful eyes that...that....just break you're heart...." Jamie was explaining in surprisingly thorough detail,: "...and she has the best body, real fit..."

"You had sex with her?"

He looked up. "Jumped into a lake with her, actually"

She didn't pretend to understand.

"...She has the most beautiful, sultry voice...."

"You can't understand a word of what she's saying"

"I can understand some. Portuguese it's much the same as Italian!"

"You don't speak the best Italian, Jamie" Juliet broke it to him, gently, "...don't tell me you spent four weeks with her and the most you said was 'mamma mia'.... which I highly doubt is a common Italian phrase, anyway!"

He shook his head, gently. "Ok, so she's from another planet, practically..." he sighed, looking into Juliet's face, "but it's just _something _Jules! You know... I cant explain it.... but I know, just because when I look at her...I know...."

She smiled sweetly. "So, what are you going to do?"

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you clearly like this girl..."

Something in his face told her differently.

"Holy shit, Jamie!" she suddenly gasped.

He almost fell out of his seat, "what?"

"I haven't seen you look that way since Courtney Graer in year 10!"

"What?!"

"...You more than like this, Aurelia...you may actually _love _her!"

"I don't...know...." He muttered.

"My god! Fancy that! Haven't spoken an understood word between you, and yet you love the girl!...Now that is romance!"

"Oh, shut up Juliet!" he said, blushing and smiling.

She jabbed him with her big tow underneath the table, "don't be a silly sod and do nothing about it!" she warned.

"Well I can't very well _do _anything about it, can I?"

"Why the hell not?!"

"Well...I've used up my frequent flyers!"

"Have mine...I will lend you the money for a ticket if need be!"

"No...no...no." he began to murmur, "I should just try and forget about her.... I mean, I don't even know how she felt about me, for Christ sake!"

"You are a twat!"

"I'm not a twat because I'm thinking clearly and being rational about this. A little crush on a girl who may very well despise me is nothing to waste a plane ticket over or anything...."

"Yes it is!"

"Why?"

"Because I see you gushing about her.... you clearly have feelings for the lovely girl...and you'll never be happy unless you tell her how you feel! If you don't you'll be lonely and feel incomplete...as though you have a great big, gaping hole inside of you!"

"Oh. You drama queen!" he smiled.

Juliet looked into her half eaten muffin. A thought suddenly hit her, a huge blow to the head. She'd been silently slagging off about Tiffany cheating on Jamie...when she, herself, was cheating on her husband of three months with his best friend. She was no better than the slapper Tiffany! Mind you...cheating with a best friend is better than cheating with a brother! ...But still very, very bad.

"Did she really hurt you?"

"Well, I can't exactly blame her for not being able to understand English, can I?"

"Not Aurelia....Tiffany?"

He looked into his cappuccino for the longest time, crossed and uncrossed his legs five times, and finally looked up to Juliet, softness in his eyes. "Yes"

She gave a small nod, and avoided his eyes.

"Why?" he finally broke the silence.

She shrugged.

"Juliet, why?"

She turned to him. "Do you think, maybe she really did care for you, and love you...but it just...just wasn't..."

"Meant to be?"

She nodded.

"Maybe. But that doesn't change the fact that she hurt me"

"Could you ever forgive her?"

"I don't plan on seeing her ever again...so no"

She nodded, glancing down at her watch. Her lunch break had just started, and she still wanted to see Mark. She didn't suspect that Marcy would mind the fact that she'd taken two, two-hour breaks. And if she did, tough luck.

"I...I have to go"

"You all right, Jules?" he asked, standing as she did the same.

She pulled her leather jacket on and nodded wistfully, forcing a smile. "Yeah, I'm right...just gotta get back to the office" she stood on her tippy-toes, kissing his cheek. "I really missed you" she smiled.

"Me too" he replied.

She turned, and took a step for the door, but stoped, looking over her shoulder. "The hole will only get bigger unless you do something about it!..." she said, with a smile. And then she fluttered out the door, heading in the opposite direction from her office. But Jamie didn't notice, he was too busy smiling as a plan formed in his head...

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"_**You know... I cant explain it.... but I know, just because when I look at her...I know...."**_

Jamie's words rang in her head as she opened the door to Mark's studio.

He looked up and smiled at her. "Hey you!" he beamed.

She fought back tears, and bit her bottom lip, as she remembered her own advice.

"_**And you'll never be happy unless you tell her how you feel! If you don't you'll be lonely and feel incomplete...as though you have a great big, gaping hole inside of you!"**_

"I love you!" she blurted just as Mark opened his arms, about to pull her into him.

"Wh..." he started.

She brushed away a tear, and smiled up at him. "I don't want to...I mean...I do...but I shouldn't...but I do...I do really, really love you!"

She gulped back tears, and at the same time let out a little laugh as she looked into his bewildered face.

"I think a part of me has...ever since you came to my door that night...and told me that I was..."

"Perfect?" she finished.

"You are,..." he added. She laughed him off.

He wrapped his arms around her, kissing her feverishly. When he pulled away, her eyes were watering, but her lips were smiling. "I have loved you for the longest time!" he whispered, leaning in for another kiss.

AUTHORS NOTE

okay, so... remember at the end of the film when everyone is at the airport, hugging one another and kissing?

And for some reason, Jamie and Aurelia meet Juliet, Mark and Peter? Well....I thought I'd kinda explain that, making him (obviously) into her cousin. I just wanted Jamie in this story so I can have the other perspective of being cheated on. By the way, in the film, Jamie's girlfriend didn't have a name, so I made one up.

So yeah, just thought I'd explain how Jamie knows Juliet.

Hope you liked this chapter.

I may not be able to update for a while, because computer is being shipped off to be fixed over the weekend. So, sit tight, please?

THANKS FOR ALL REVIEWS! YOU ARE ALL MAAAAARVELOUS!!!!!!!!!!


	7. seven

Mark stole little glances at her while she scanned the paper.

She wore a plain white tee shirt, a turquoise pendant necklace, and jeans.

She looked stunning.

"That new Johnny Depp film is showing..." she murmured, studying the show times "...something about pirates?"

"Ah, no thanks" he replied, pretending to busy himself with the sports section.

"Oh, why not?" she whined, looking over at him. They were sprawled out on the couch, Mark sitting up right, Juliet lying down, her feet in his lap.

He laughed, turning to her, lowering his paper. "Because...I'd rather you make googly eyes at me rather than Johnny bloody Depp!" he smirked.

She nodded, "fair enough" she said, understandingly, and then turned back to the paper.

"Oy!" he scoffed, tickling her feet.

"Stopit!" she squealed.

He threw his paper to the ground, and continued to tickle her...slowly moving his hands up to her stomach. She was paralysed with laughter.

He was straddling her, hands moving around her waist while her laughter heightened.

"I love you! I love you!" she blurted, hoping the sentiment would have him take pity on her and cease the onslaught of tickles.

It did. He stopped, "alright then.... Johnny aint' got nothing on me!" he winked.

Juliet grinned up at him, "Come here!" she ordered, with a wave of her hand.

He lowered himself onto her, kissing her neck feverishly, making his way towards her lips...kissing her passionately; she wrapped her arms around him, bringing him into her. This was heaven.

She had made another excuse with Peter, about being sick and unable to go into work. She'd held her head and puffed her cheeks out while whining to him that morning.

He'd gently rubbed her back and kissed her forehead. "You do have a bit of a temperature" he'd said, worry in his tone.

She'd insisted on not staying locked up in the house all day, preferring to go for a stroll sometime in the afternoon to clear her head and get some fresh air into her. While Peter advised against it, he couldn't persuade her otherwise.

The moment he'd left, she'd thrown come clothes on and rushed to Mark's, wanting to spend as much of the day with him as possible.

She giggled as he kissed her some more, his lips hovering about her neck, planting butterfly kisses that tickled and seduced.

"Look...." She tried to speak, in between her heavy panting and small kisses. "....Are we going to go to the movies or not?" she squealed as he ran a hand over her stomach again, pushing her top up to get to the skin, he tickled again, and she laughed loudly, and he continued to kiss her.

"Ah! AH!" she giggled.

"Shut up, then!" he warned with a smirk, removing his hands, he came up for air again, "you are mine for the rest of the day! ...And I refuse to share you with Johnny Depp or any other Hollywood heart-throb...got it?" he moved in to connect his lips with hers.

"Alright...alright.... I give in.... I am yours!" she gasped, pulling him into her.

But, alas, just then the phone rang.

"Bugger!" he huffed, pausing his pashes.

"Don't answer it!" she whispered in his ear, pulling him back to her lips.

The ringing continued. "Stay right here!" he warned, as he jumped up and raced into the kitchen. Juliet sighed as she heard the beginnings of his conversation.

She sat up, reaching for the remote; and started flicking through the channels. 'A perfect murder' was showing on cable, she was amused for about three seconds, until she clicked to what the story line was. And she promptly turned to the discovery channel instead.

"No way! That's awesome, mate!" she heard Mark yell into the phone.

She heard him say his goodbyes, and then she turned the telly off, and nestled back into the couch, eager for him.

He walked in slowly, and stood by the couch, looking down at her with a sullen face and his hands in his pockets. "Some bad news" he started, "well...some good news that is bad news, today!" he corrected.

"What?" she asked, sitting up, with a stern face- ready for a blow.

"Err...well my agent got this phone call from some wealthy suit who wants to come to the studio today and make a few purchases.... it should bring in a load of cash"

She forced a smile and nodded slowly. "That's great..."

"Yeah, he wants me there to help haggle and to help persuade him on the pieces...."

She nodded again. "Guess I'll be off then..." she said, standing.

"Look, Jules- I am so sorry, I don't want to do this, honest, but..."

She held her hand up, "don't apologize! This is great news!" she forced a bigger smile.

"You understand, then?" he asked, hopeful.

She stepped towards him, wrapping her arms around him; "I love you, and I will see you tomorrow!" she said, planting a kiss on his lips.

"Thanks, Jules" he smiled.

She grabbed her coat, looking to him once more, "but hey! You owe me a movie!" she smirked.

"Definitely!" he smiled aswell, "a sappy romantic, Julia Roberts, Sandra Bullock comedy with Brad Pitt or something...I promise!"

She rolled her eyes and grinned, "I'll hold you to that!"

She headed for the door, Mark following, "I do appreciate you coming around today, though, I really do!"

She kissed him again, "anything for you!" she winked, and headed out.

Mark sighed. "Bugger!" he hissed again when he'd closed the door on her. But she still heard, and gave a little smile as she went on her way.

She started down the street, unsure of what to do for the rest of the day. Going back to the office was definitely out of the question. So was going back to the apartment, as there was nothing to do.

She had an idea. Reaching into her bag, she dialled the familiar number.

"Er, yeah?"

"Hey Jamie!"

"Ummm...Jules!?"

"Yeah! Hey, how are you for lunch today?!"

"Um, well, actually I'm in school at the moment"

She let out a laugh. "School?...You are kidding, right?"

"Well, no"

"What the bloody hell are you doing in school?"

"Well not 'school' so much.... its just a class...a LOTE class..."

"Jamie, what _are_ you up to?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Well, I thought about what you said."

"Did I tell you to go to school... I don't recall!" she teased.

"No, about having a bloody big hole in me and all that...expressing my true feelings.... and so I....er..."

"Yes..." she urged.

"I'm learning Portuguese"

She burst out in excitement, "Jamie, that is so _bloody_ romantic!"

"Mmmm, yes, I thought so"

"But, what good will Portuguese be when she's over in France and you're stuck here?"

"Well....I was wondering if I could take you up on that offer to buy me a plane ticket...?" he asked in a very small voice, ashamed to ask his little cousin for such a huge favour.

"You daft fool! You know I will!" she laughed.

He cleared his throat, and his line went silent for a moment, "Jules..." he started.

"Yep?"

"Um, the teacher is giving me dirty looks right now..." she heard him lower the phone and make his apologies, 'yeah, I'll just be a minute' he was saying. "...Stupid old bag!" he muttered, thinking Juliet couldn't hear him, she giggled.

"I have to go"

"I understand. Look, come by tonight and I'll give you the money, ok?"

"Thanks so much Jules"

"No problem, you great big romantic, teddy bear!...Bye!"

"Oh! And, Jules?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks...for, you know...."

She nodded, "anytime daaarling" she clicked her phone off.

Well, now at least she had an agenda. She was going to go to the bank, withdraw some money for Jamie...maybe a little for herself... shopping may aswell fill in her day.

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"I'm home!"

She turned off the TV, stood up, heading into the kitchen where Peter was standing, head poking about inside the fridge. When he stood up, a bottle of wine in hand, he adjusted his tie and smirked at her.

"Hello babe!" he beamed.

"Wine?...Don't we have Heineken..." she asked, stepping forward and kissing his cheek.

"Oh no, this calls for wine!" he smiled wide.

"What does?" she took a step back, smiling up at her husband who was so bursting to tell her something.

"Well...err....maybe you should sit down!"

"Oh god, we're not having a baby are we?" she joked, taking a seat on a stool.

He raised an eyebrow, "are we?" he asked.

She smiled and shook her head. "Ah, no!....So what on earth could call for wine?"

"Um, well..."

"Peter? What is you're secret?"

"Well....I was in a private meeting today...."

She nodded, thinking this may be a boring story about how he won his latest case, blah, blah, blah. She never was much interested in his work.

"...With the Wallace brothers..."

She kept nodding.

"And, as it seems...they had a hidden agenda behind my partnership...."

This, caught her attention. She raised an eyebrow, and kept smiling.

"....It would seem that....well, because they have such a firm establishment here and all, they cant very well pack up and move their families and everything.... So I suppose they thought it kind of perfect for me to take on the partnership, because we are newly weds, and don't have kids and so..."

"Pack up and move, where?" her blood suddenly ran cold.

"Um, well...to Australia.... Melbourne, to be exact!" he grinned form ear to ear. Juliet, however, could not share his enthusiasm.

"Wh....what?" was all she could manage.

"Australia! ...you know, G'day, mate and all that..."

"What do you...?" she began to question.

"They are starting up business in Melbourne, and want to send one of their partners down there to help things run along smoothly..." he was still smiling, Juliet couldn't understand why.

"And you said, what, exactly...?"

"Well, I said id have to talk with you first, obviously...but I gave them a pretty big hint that it'd be a _yes_!"

"You did _what_?!" she felt like screaming. It took a lot of strength to hold her tongue.

"Well. I know leaving family and friends will be hard. But we'll make new friends, and if all goes well with the firm, then we'll have plenty of money coming in to get us back over to England every few months...."

"And..." she wanted to say, 'what about Mark and I?', but bit her tongue, hard, and thought of something else to tie her to England. "...What about my business?"

He creased his brow, thinking this would be the hard part of convincing her to leave. "Well, I will be getting a steadily large profit, Jules, we wouldn't really need you're business.... so you _could_ sell it...or lease it...or leave it for someone else to run, you know, make Marcy partner or something...?"

Her jaw hung open.

"Jules!" he took her hands in his, and stared into her eyes. "This is so great for us!...We will make a killing down under...we will be set for life...and it's a great place to raise kids, and...."

"I cant!"

"Jules, hear me out...this will be great!"

She shook her head. "No, I don't want to...we cant...tell them to find someone else to up-root!"

"Juley, baby!" he spoke softly.

Just then, there came a loud call from the front door, someone was in the house. "Jules?!". Peter and Juliet listened as footsteps made way towards the kitchen, and Jamie appeared; smile fading when he saw tears forming in his cousin's eyes.

"Err....hello...caught you at a bad time, have I?...Jules, Jules! Are you ok?"

She wiped her eyes. 'NO!' she wanted to shout. 'No, I most certainly am not ok!'

Instead, she gave a feeble nod, and sprang to her feet. "Er, yes...we were just discussing..." she drifted off, hurrying off towards the lounge room, where the money was sitting on the coffee table, in a white envelope.

Jamie followed her, concern etched in his face. "Jules..." he tried talking to her, but she waved him off, handing him the money.

"When are you going, then?" she changed the subject.

He ignored her, touching her elbow lightly, "what the bloody hell is wrong?" a thought crossed his mind, he turned back for the kitchen, "Peter!" he bellowed. Juliet ran after him.

"Peter, what have you done to Juliet?" Jamie demanded.

Peter was leaning against the kitchen counter, hand to his forehead. "Jamie..." he started slowly.

"Tell me!" he ordered, turning to Juliet who stood by his side now, tugging on his arm, "what is happening?"

"We _are_ going to Australia!" Peter suddenly snapped.

Jamie gave a nod, "on holiday?" he asked. And then it clicked. Why else would Juliet be crying?

She ignored Jamie as he laid a hand on her shoulder; she was looking at Peter, who was holding her gaze.

"Well...at least _I'm _going!" Peter confirmed.

"With or without me?" she asked.

"I better get going..." Jamie whispered, slinking out of the kitchen.

"Call me!...and...err, thanks!" Jamie yelled, and let himself out.

"With, or without me?" she asked Peter again.

In his head, Peter noted this was their first real fight since becoming husband and wife.

"I have no choice," he whispered, "yes"

She gasped a little. "Right then"

"Right" he said aswell.

"Well...I...err"

"Are you coming?" he asked, in the smallest voice.

"I....I....don't know...." She squeaked.

They stood in silence.

"Let me know when you do" Peter whispered, and took the wine into the lounge with him, where he slept that night. Alone.

Juliet sat up in bed, not getting a wink of sleep. She kept trying to call Mark on her mobile, but he wasn't answering. Probably still haggling with the man who wanted his paintings.

She cried herself to sleep that night. Because she knew. Even though she hadn't admitted it out loud, yet. She knew she would go. Peter was her husband, after all.

AUTHORS NOTE

Hmm, getting a little serious now. Only 3 chapters (or less) till the end.

Thanks for all the reviews so far. I don't know how this chapter will be received, what with the twist; some of you may not like it. Oh well. Apologies but no regrets, I'm afraid.


	8. eight

He was numb. It felt as though his heart had stopped beating, his lungs ceased to draw in breath and his entire body had suddenly shut down.... All this in just a few seconds.

He wanted to stop the clock. To press the rewind button and absorb this information another way. He wanted to go back a few minutes, brace himself for the blow, and give Peter a different response. Instead of just looking at him with hollow eyes.

Why hadn't Juliet said something? - Was the first actual thought that entered his head. And with that thought came its repercussions....

What _about _Juliet?

What about him and Juliet?

Did this mean 'they' were over... finished, forgotten... just as they'd come to terms with their feelings; it was all going to disappear. Just. Like. That.

"...That's pretty much the same response I got from Jules..." Peter breathed, taking a swig from his beer.

Mark blinked. Then gulped back his thoughts of Juliet. Peter saying her name brought Mark back to reality... back to secrecy. He couldn't ask about her as though he loved her. Which he did. He couldn't beg Peter to not take the job.

"Whoa..." was the most Mark could say.

Peter nodded. "Yeah..." he murmured, drinking the last of his beer.

"I mean, whoa," Mark breathed again. And, Peter nodded, again.

There was a silence between then. But around them, chatter, laughter and noise filled the pub. Men played darts in the corner. A few girls cackled in a booth. Some guys were busying themselves around the billiard table, deciding who would be on which team. Each stool around the bar was occupied; the bartender had his hands full. But, Mark and Peter sat in silence.

Mark shifted uncomfortably. He wanted to make his excuses with Peter, and run off to rendezvous with Juliet. ....But what would he say to her? Would he yell at her? - For not telling him sooner.

Probably not. He couldn't picture himself getting mad at her.

After all, it was Saturday. Peter had only told her last night.... while Mark was talking business until 1:30 in the morning.

She probably couldn't get away from the house to meet him, break the news gently...cry in his arms.... Confide in him about what to do.

But still, what would he say to her when they inevitably met up? ...Would he beg her to stay, to leave Peter to go to Australia by himself? That was what he wanted to do... but he knew he couldn't.

This would have to be _her _decision. She'd have to make it to suit herself, not stay because he couldn't live without out her. Because he was selfish, and a blubbering mess.

"I don't know what I'm going to do...." Peter had sighed, waving to the bartender to bring another round.

Mark turned to him, blinking again, urging himself to speak. "What has Juliet said...?" he tried to sound un-affected, distant on the subject of Jules. As though asking about her was the polite thing to do.

Peter shrugged. "She hasn't decided yet." He said, simply. "...I was in the doghouse last night...we didn't talk...we haven't talked...I told her..." he left the sentence hanging.

"What?" Mark urged, trying to settle his voice.

Peter sighed again, and took a long gulp from his new beer before continuing. "...I told her I'd be going,..." pausing, "regardless" he added, heavily.

Mark restrained from sighing with relief. Instead he replied "Jesus!", his tone riddled with concern and sympathy.

Peter turned to him, his eyes thankful to his friend for being so worried for him. "...I told her, she could sell the business.... or lease it, because we wont need the money.... I told her we'd make new friends...and make plenty of visits home...."

Mark nodded, all the while hoping Juliet had been un-nerved by Peter's possibilities.

Peter shook his head, and looked about to cry- "...Somehow I think her answer will be no..."

Mark breathed heavily, to silence himself, he took a swig from his bottle.

"What will I do if she doesn't come with me?"

Mark said nothing. He didn't need to; Peter was more talking to himself.

"We'll have to get divorced.... we cant very well have a long-distance marriage...."

Mark still said nothing.

"We've been together for 2 years.... married for 4 months..." Peter sighed croakily, "...Why does this hurdle have to come up now?!"

Mark shook his head.

"Christ, Mark..." he turned to him now, eyes watering- the emotion either brought on by the beer, or by his genuine fear of losing his wife. "...What the hell would I do without Jules?"

What would _I _do without Jules?! Mark felt like yelling back at him. But of course, he didn't. Instead, he gave Peter's back a brisk, hard pat.

"What time is it?" Peter eventually asked, sucking in the tears.

Mark glanced down at his watch. "12:45"

Peter nodded. "When I left she was still in the bedroom..." he murmured, "...she might have emerged.... I better go see her..." he stood, "talk to her" he added, looking at Mark with heavy eyes.

"Right" Mark breathed, watching as Peter shrugged his coat on.

"Thanks for coming down, mate" he said, "and for....y'know, talking..." he added.

Mark nodded.

"I'll drop by later..." Peter said, and then headed out the door.

Mark stared at his green bottle of beer. He felt his eyes begin to sting and prick with fresh tears. He gulped them back, sculling the last of his beer, and then waving hastily at the bartender for another.

If he couldn't confront Juliet with his feelings, then he'd drink them away instead.

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Peter entered the house quietly, half expecting to see Juliet's bags packed and waiting by the door.

He was relieved to see everything as he had left it that morning.

He took his coat off, put his keys down, and ventured into the kitchen. She wasn't there. So, he made his way upstairs, and braced himself before knocking on the door.

There was no reply, so he gently pushed it open, and poked his head in.

Juliet was sitting up in bed, her knees up to her chin, her arms hugging them, looking straight at him.

"Can I come in?" he asked, lightly.

She shrugged, and he stepped inside, closing the door, and standing awkwardly before her.

Her eyes were red and swollen. Her hair mattered, one side of it sticking partly to her face. She wore a large, grey woollen jumper that emphasized her slim figure, exenterating her wide, dark eyes and high cheeks.

"You been drinking?" she finally asked, not sounding upset or angry.

He nodded, bashfully, and she bit her bottom lip.

The room smelt of incense...rosemary, or maybe jasmine. Jules liked the smell to waft through the house in winter.

"....Jules...." Peter breathed her name, his chest lunging with the effort.

"I'm going" came the reply before he could get another word out.

His mouth hung open, as he was about to plead his case. But those simple words had him stop short. He looked at her in amazement.

"Wh....what?" he stammered.

She shifted slightly, allowing her arms to drop from hugging her knees; she stared at him, not dropping her gaze.

"I am going with you," she murmured, not sounding altogether pleased with the idea, "...you are my husband, and I am going with you" she finished.

He didn't want to, because he knew the decision was against her wishes and wants, but he smiled anyway. "You are?"

She nodded.

"You and I are going to Australia...." He said again, and she nodded.

"Jules, this is...I mean...I know you don't want to, but you'll see..."

He silenced himself when he saw fresh tears forming in her eyes; she turned away from him, swiping at her wet cheeks.

"Jules...." He whispered, walking towards her.

She turned to him, as he looked down at her, afraid to touch her.

She opened her arms up to him, and he sat down infront of her, gathering her up as she pressed her body against his, and softly started to cry.

He stroked her hair and tried comforting her, "You'll see, Jules...it will be great...you'll love it,..." he whispered, gently rocking her in his arms.

She continued to cry, ever so softly. She still hadn't told Mark.

She didn't want to tell him at all.... Because, when she did.... it would make the whole thing all the more real.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She slowly opened her heavy eyes, to find Peter lying beside her, staring at her. Love in his soft eyes.

"Feeling better?" he asked.

She shook her head slightly, and he reached out and brushed her cheek lightly. "You'll see..." he said again.

"What time is it?" she croaked in a small voice.

"6:30...we've been up here all day..." he replied.

She stretched her legs a little, and rolled onto her back, staring up at the ceiling. Everything came back to her, hitting her over the head, hard. She suddenly felt like crying again,

"We have to get up" Peter whispered, "I told Mark we'd go over to his place....he was worried about us"

She quickly turned to her husband, eyes wide. "Mark _knows_?!" she blurted.

He reached out, tucking a stray wisp of hair behind her ear, "Yes...I went down to the pub this afternoon and we talked for a while...." He sighed, "I was really worried there for a while, Jules" he confided.

She tried to calm her raging thoughts. What he must think. How he must feel..... how he's going to feel when he finds out they are leaving...

Peter stirred, throwing the covers off himself and sitting up, "c'mon, we have to go tell him the news..." he murmured, looking over his shoulder at her, with a small smile, "the good news" he added.

She tried forcing a smile, but it wouldn't come. She just felt like crying and crying until there was nothing left inside herself to hurt anymore.

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They'd wandered down to the same pub Mark and Peter had been in that afternoon. They ordered dinner, and now sat in an uncomfortable silence in a booth.

"Right...so...Jesus!" Mark breathed, looking at Peter, trying to avoid looking at Juliet.

"Yeah" Peter smiled, reaching under the table and squeezing Juliet's hand.

"So....err...umm...." Mark struggled, and Juliet felt herself choking up again. She looked down, trying to avoid looking into his clearly pained eyes.

"My best mate is moving....umm...well.... I don't know how to process this..." Mark murmured.

Peter nodded, "I'll have to be leaving sometime next month...just for a fortnight or so....to go house hunting, and to check up on the building and everything...."

"Then what?" Mark asked.

Peter squeezed Juliet's hand again, she wanted to tear it away form him. "...Well then, while I'm gone Juliet will have started packing everything up.... And when I come back, we should have a house secured down there....and then, as soon as possible, we should be off"

"As soon as possible?" Mark repeated, feeling weary.

Peter nodded. "The office has to get up and running soon, so money is coming in for us...you know...."

"But, there's my business to be settled.... that may take a while..." Juliet suddenly spoke up, sounding hopeful by the prospect of staying in England just that little bit longer.

Peter nodded, "I'll get on that right away, have a plan for the business sorted before I leave" he answered her.

Juliet's heart shrank. And now, she pulled her hand away from Peter's gasp, he didn't seem to notice.

Peter slid out from the booth, "got to go to the toilet, back in a second," he murmured, striding off.

Juliet's eyes instantly wandered across the table to Mark, who was avoiding her by looking out at the crowd.

She whispered, even though the toilets were at the other end of the pub, and Mark would have a clear view of Peter as he walked back to the booth. "I tried calling you last night...." She said, her voice uneven.

"Yeah, well, I was out late...." He murmured, still not looking at her.

She bit her tongue when she heard the snipe in his tone.

"Mark, Mark I don't know what to say..." she started, but stopped when she saw the clear look of disinterest in his face.

He'd thought he wouldn't get mad at her. But, that was when her decision about leaving was unclear. Mark had been so hopeful, even Peter was sure she wouldn't go.

And now, here she was, feebly trying to apologize for breaking his heart. He didn't want any of it.

"Mark...please...say something, anything...." She pleaded. "I don't want to go..." she whispered, thinking he couldn't hear.

"Well you are!" he suddenly snapped.

She looked to him, and found he was staring right at her. Into her eyes. She felt so vulnerable.

"What was I supposed to do....he is my husband!...." She started.

He shrugged, "that's right, Jules....he's you're husband....and I'm just the poor sap who loves you to death, but cant have you..." he knew he sounded childish, he wasn't seeing reason, he didn't want to.

Her eyes began to well, "I love you too...." She whispered. The words pained him. "...But I have to go...." She ended.

"I know you do." He replied, avoiding her eyes again, "and I have to let you"

She opened her mouth, about to say more, when Mark's eyes told her to be quiet. Peter reappeared, sliding in beside Juliet.

"Christ Jules, we have a lot of work ahead of us,..." he murmured, and then he started spouting off a long list of things that had to be done before they left, what she had to do while he was gone for two weeks and so on.

She blocked it all out, as she sat, trying to stop herself from crying again. And trying to avoid looking at Mark as he stopped himself from doing the same thing.


	9. nine

"Will you be needing this urgently?" Jamie asked, holding up a lamp, "O abajur? _Lamp_" he added, smiling smugly.

Juliet rolled her eyes and smirked, he'd been doing that all day, practising for his Portuguese sweetheart.

"Give it a rest, Jamie..." she sighed, wrapping another candlestick holder in newspaper "and no, we wont be needing that lamp urgently when we arrive, so put it in one of the big boxes".

"Arrependido!" he replied. "That means 'sorry'...." He whispered under his breath, incase she was interested.

She turned to him, and smiled apologetically. "Arrepindio"

He turned to her, shaking his head lightly, "No, it's Arrepen_dido_!" he corrected, with another haughty smile.

She nodded. "Thanks again for all the help, Jamie" she said, reaching for the glass bowl Peter's mother had given them for Christmas.

"No problem" he said, placing the lamp inside a large container that sat beside him. 

"You know....I just cant believe you're going .to _Australia_!" he said, shaking his head in disbelief. "o didnt vê aquele vinda" _didn't see that one coming_

She shrugged, hating to be reminded. Atleast with the packing, she was busying herself, and could put it all aside for a moment.

She was grateful to Jamie. He'd postponed his trip when he'd heard she and Peter were leaving. Even though Juliet had insisted he still make his flight.... Jamie didn't mind though. Truth be told, his LOTE teacher had not-so-subtly told him his Portuguese wasn't up to standard yet, and she advised him to spend another week in class.

"Have you heard form Peter today?" Jamie casually asked, as he stated bubble-wrapping another lamp.

"Last night...at 2 in the morning!" she said, suddenly remembering how tired she was. "...He says he's looking at an apartment near the docklands"

"Nice view?"

She shrugged, disinterested.... Jamie noted this.

"Australia's a nice enough place," he started, "great weather, practically all year round... Christmas in summer will be interesting..."

She wasn't listening. Instead, her mind had wandered back to Mark, she often thought of him now.

They hadn't visited each other since last week, at the pub.

She had told him, leaving no doubt in his mind that she had to leave.

"I know you do.... and I have to let you" The memory of his words left an ache in her chest. She wanted to see him. Especially since Peter would be returning in two days time, and then there would be chaos as they finished packing and selling off her business..... After that, they would be gone. "I do think its really fantastic that you are.... Seguinte são coração!" 

She snapped out of her daydream, hearing the last of Jamie's words. "What?" she asked, turning to him.

"Seguinte são coração" he said simply, as though she would know exactly what he meant. He continued bubble wrapping.

"What does that mean?" she snapped.

"Following you're heart" Jamie replied, without even looking up.

She suddenly couldn't breathe.

Jamie looked at his watch, his eyes popping out of his head when he saw the time, "damn! My lesson started fifteen minutes ago!" he sighed, struggling to stand.

"Oh...err...sorry, Jamie," she said groggily.

He grabbed his coat, shrugging it on. "I'll come by tonight with take-out and we'll finish up, ok?" he said hastily, running for the door.

"Bye!" she called.

Just as he swung the door open, he found himself coming to an abrupt stop as to avoid crashing into a gentleman standing on the steps, holding a box.

"Yes?" Jamie asked quickly.

Mark took a step back, trying to balance the box on one knee, "oh....err....can I leave this with you? It's some of Peter's stuff....I'm his friend, Mark" he tried outstretching a hand, but found the task too difficult.

"Err...I'm in a hurry, leave it inside with Jules..." Jamie brushed past him, "nice to meet you!" he shouted over his shoulder, as he raced for his car.

Mark didn't much like the idea of being alone with Juliet. He'd avoided coming around all week to deliver Peter's bits and pieces. CD's mark had borrowed, videotapes, books, and an old sweater. But last night Peter had called him from Australia and asked him to make sure to drop them off so they could be packed. Mark had hesitated, but agreed.

He started lowering the box on the porch step, when he heard footsteps coming his way.

"Who is that?" Juliet called out.

She stopped, a few metres away from the open door when she saw Mark.

He picked the box up again, struggling to balance it, "um...hey!" he stammered, "...Pete called me last night, to remind me about this lot" he indicated to the box in his arms, "so...err...here" he outstretched the box.

Juliet's jaw hung open as she stared at him.

"Umm...I'll just leave it here...." Mark lowered the box again when Juliet didn't say anything.

She gave a faint nod.

"I'll be off..." he said, turning on his heel.

"Stay?"

He stopped, but didn't turn around as he deliberated in his head.

"Please?" she asked again. "...The house looks as though a bomb has hit...but I'm sure I can rummage through some boxes and find the kettle and some mugs.... and perhaps there's an uncluttered space somewhere.... perhaps?"

"I don't think that's such a good idea..." he started, slowly turning to face her.

She bit her bottom lip, and looked at the box sitting by the door, "yeah, yeah you're probably right"

Mark dug his hands into his pockets, waiting for the silence to cease. It didn't. So he cleared his throat, "...who was..." he started to ask.

"Jamie?"

Mark nodded.

"My cousin...a very good friend"

He nodded, "right...helping you to..."

"Pack"

"How is that coming along?"

"Slowly"

He nodded again.

"Heard from Peter?" Mark asked, even though he had called Mark just last night.

She nodded, "yeah, last night.... he's maybe found us an apartment"

"That's great"

"Yep"

"How much?'

She shrugged.

"Oh" there was a vast pause that seemed to span for miles, "...so...I best be going then"

She bit her lip a little harder, "I don't want to go" she breathed, her words barely audible.

He looked up, into her eyes. They were swollen and red. She'd spent many days crying, it was obvious.

He stood awkwardly, not knowing what to do with her words.

"I don't want to go...." She repeated them.

He sighed, "I don't want you to go"

His words made her chest heave a sigh of relief.

He shrugged, digging his hands deeper into his pockets, "but you have to" he added, she felt her chest tighten again.

She nodded.

"You have to go.... and I don't want you to.... but you do...so its best if you just let me walk away now, without saying anything, and have this as our last goodbye...so that I have plenty of time to...get over you"

She said nothing, just watched as he turned again, and started walking away.

"You told me once that I was perfect!" she called out to him, stopping him.

He turned, she stepped out of the house, "...but I'm not" she felt her eyes begin to prick, "I'm anything _but_!" she hugged herself against the chilly winter air, "...I cheated on my husband..." she gave a sarcastic laugh, feeling a tear escape down her cheek, "so you see, I'm hardly ever going to be _perfect_!"

He opened his mouth, about to plead with her to go back inside, close the door and let him be on his way. But she wouldn't let him speak. She took a few more steps, coming closer and closer to him. He stood where he was.

"...But if perfect means that I would have never known you're touch.... you're kiss.... if perfect means I'd have never let myself fall in love with you...." She sighed, now standing so close to him, she stopped, looking up into his eyes, ".... then I don't want to be perfect"

He didn't say anything. He just gazed into her chocolate eyes as tears ran down.

"Please...say something," she whispered.

He couldn't.

"Mark... I will leave Peter. I will tell him everything.... just to be with you"

"Don't"

She caught her breath. "What?"

"Don't screw up everything that you have with Peter, because of me..."

"But, Mark..." she tried.

He shook his head, "Jules.... you can start a whole new life. A clean slate, you and Peter..."

She reached up, touching his face lightly. He stepped back, away from her touch.

"Jules, listen to me!...You and I...we came too late!" he nearly choked on his own words, "But, you and Peter....Jules, he loves you. He'd do anything for you. Don't throw that away for me.... Who knows how we'd end up, given the chance? Maybe I'm only infatuated with you because I _can'_t have you! ...Maybe that's just the sort of jerk I am!"

"No!" she spoke, her voice shaky.

"Atleast, with Peter, you know its real...you know he loves you no matter what.... so just.... just forget about me, ok?"

"I don't want to!"

"I do!"

She didn't want to hear this. She knew what he was doing. Purposely pushing her away. Making her decision for her, without her feeling guilty.

"I love you!" she whispered.

He caught his breath for a moment, before whispering; "I will always envy Peter for finding you first", and then he turned away, and started walking, without looking back.

Juliet watched him go, and didn't say anything.

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AUTHORS NOTE

Alrighty, let me just say 'no I don't speak Portuguese'. I went to and that's how I was able to do Jamie's dialogue in this chapter. I don't know if the words are correct, most likely not.

So, if you are Portuguese, let me apologize if I've written something horribly offensive or stupid, or both. But, in any case, if you can speak the language, could you tell me of the mistakes?! Thanks!


	10. ten COMPLETE

"...So now I hope you join me in raising you're glasses, to Peter Gerald...."

There were cheers and 'hurrah's' as the entire room gave Peter a standing ovation.

Juliet smiled, and sunk a little more into her chair.

Peter was gushing. "Oh, thankyou, thankyou!"

"We know you'll make us proud down in Oz... and show em' what the Wallace brothers are made of!" George Wallace finished, and then threw his head back, sculling the champagne.

Juliet took tentative sips from her glass, as she looked around the room at all the other lawyers and their wives.

Peter reached under the table, gently caressing her thigh.

She shifted a little, and gently pushed him away.

"Can I have some more champagne, please?" she asked a passing waiter.

"So, you're all sorted?" Henry Wallace leaned into Juliet. He was a close-talker. She hated close-talkers. And she hated the fact that Peter made her sit next to one half of the Wallace brothers.

She gave a small nod, "yep, pretty much"

"Now all that's left is the painful flight over!" he gave a hoarse laugh.

The waiter handed her another champagne, which she drank quickly, feeling the bubbles go to her head.

"Steady, there!" Henry warned. She ignored him, inching away from his face a little.

She sighed when she felt Peter's hand on her thigh again.

She was fed-up with Peter. He'd been running around like a headless chook ever since he got back. In such a panic to tie up all the loose ends. He was so passive with Juliet; sure she couldn't handle anything by herself.

She was fed-up with the slinky black dress she'd had to squeeze into for this hoity-toity evening. It was backless, and hugged her flat stomach. She was wearing a pair of awfully uncomfortable undies, and no bra. And at the end of it all, she'd have to pack the thing up, what a pain.

She was sick of Henry Wallace leaning in when he spoke to her about Australia. She was sick of his wandering eyes. And she was sick of his wife who didn't seem to mind her husband copping an eyeful!

And she was especially, sick to the stomach, of the thought of having to sit on a plane for hours.

"You ok?" Peter asked, looking at her.

She smiled wearily. "I just want to get home and get some sleep before we leave". They had 24 hours until their flight.

He nodded. "Just another hour or so, ok?"

She nodded, not bothering to smile.

"So...Australia." Henry was leering at her again, "You like Koala's?"

She eyeballed the waiter, who knowingly scurried off to grab her another champagne.

"What about Kangaroos?" Henry asked, with a crooked smile.

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"Look at her tits!"

"Nice!"

Mark rolled his eyes as he listened to the delinquents around the corner.

"Yeah, I'd _do_ her!"

He couldn't take it anymore. They'd been leering at the same photo for the last twenty minutes. They had disgustingly talked of every which way possible they'd _do_ the model, and now he just couldn't take it anymore.

"Oy! You lot!" he roared.

The three boys turned to him.

"...Have some fucking respect!" he bellowed.

The boys started to laugh. Jabbing each other.

".... Or piss off!" Mark warned.

The boys continued to laugh and snigger, but headed for the door anyway.

"You get off on em!?" One asked.

Mark hesitated for a second. And then gave him the finger. Quick thinking. Brilliant.

"Oooooo!" the pubescent was clearly unaffected.

"Yeah! You better run!" Mark scoffed, once the boys were out of hearing-distance.

He ran a hand through his hair, and headed to the door himself. Turning around the 'closed' sign and locking the door. He'd stay in the loft tonight.

Turning off the over-head lights, he tried to restrain from glancing down at his wristwatch, or looking to the clock that hung above his desk. The constant knowing hurt too much. Like someone clenching his heart, and never letting go.

His stomach had been doing summersaults all evening, just with the ever-impending thought that, in just a few hours time, his entire life was going to get on a plane and he'd never be apart of her again.

He had been trying to wrap his head around the idea. Trying to come to terms with his loss. But so far, no luck.

He didn't seem capable of understanding how his world would work without her.

Even when they weren't together, in love- even when she had never known of his feelings- she had still been apart of his world. He had still admired from afar. And for a long time, that had been enough. Just being able to have her close enough, he could still have loved her without her knowing.

But now, she was leaving. He wouldn't see her again. Only when she and Peter came home for Christmas and little holidays.

He sighed as he turned off the last over-head, and trudged up the stairs to his loft, the double mattress awaited him.

A small radio sat on his workbench; he flicked it on and slumped onto the mattress, desperate for sleep to take away his worries.

He silently cursed himself when a love song came on. Why is it, when you feel as though you're heart is being ripped out of you're chest and being broken into a million tiny pieces, the saddest possible song comes on the radio!?

I didn't hear you leave  
I wonder how am I still here  
I don't want to move a thing  
it might change my memory

He didn't have the strength to reach over the change channels. Instead, he lay down, kicking his shoes off, and just stared up at the ceiling. Juliet swamped his thoughts.

Oh I am what I am  
I'll do what I want  
but I can't hide  
I won't go  
I won't sleep  
I can't breathe  
until you're resting  
here with me  
I won't leave  
I can't hide  
I cannot be  
until you're resting  
here with me

Against his will, Mark looked down at his watch. - 8:30. Her flight left at 10:30 in the morning. Bugger. He still had time. To do what?!

I don't want to  
call my friends  
they might wake me  
from this dream  
and I can't leave this bed  
risk forgetting all that's been

She had surrendered herself to him two days ago. She'd told him she loved him, and would leave Peter. So, what did Mark do?! ....He pushed her away. He'd thought, at the time, it would make things easier. For her.

Oh I am what I am  
I'll do what I want  
but I can't hide  
I won't go  
won't sleep  
I can't breathe  
until you're resting  
here with me  
I won't leave  
I can't hide  
I cannot be  
until you're resting  
here with me

He had, not too convincingly, tried to tell her things wouldn't work between them. Even as he'd said the words, his heart and his head were telling him to take her in his arms and hold onto her forever. Instead, he'd said goodbye, and walked away. He silently cursed himself now, for not turning back one last time.

The song ended, and he rolled over, forcing his eyes shut.

He couldn't think about her. Not now. He had to forget. About her. About them.

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Juliet stood patiently by the door, hand luggage in one hand, and two tickets in the other.

"Did you shut the windows upstairs?"

"Yes!" she called.

"Let me just check..." Peter said, racing up.

She rolled her eyes. Of course, she was too incompetent to shut a bloody window.

"They're shut!"

She bit her bottom lip and lightly tapped one foot as Peter strolled down the stairs.

"This is it, Jules" he smirked.

She nodded, and tried to gulp back tears that had been waiting to flood her eyes ever since she got up that morning.

"Say goodbye!" Peter wrapped an arm around her as they both looked at their little house one last time.

"One chapter of our life, closed" Peter whispered.

She quickly sucked in some air and thought of Mark. He had often crossed her mind over the last few days.

She had offered him everything she thought he wanted. She'd promised to stay. With him. But he had walked away, and that was that. Their relationship would remain a secret between the both of them for the rest of their lives. And, that thought, scared her to death.

"Lets get going" Peter said, taking her bag from her hand.

And now, knowing Mark was no longer a possibility for her, Juliet tried to think ahead. Tried to imagine a clean slate with Peter. But she couldn't.

Things had changed between them, obviously. It wasn't his fault, he was brilliant. But she knew, without even having said it aloud. She knew she'd fallen out of love with him.

But, stupidly, she thought things would change, over time. Change back to how they were.

He opened her passenger door, and she slid in.

"Ok, so we are dropping by Jamie's..." Peter started, as he pulled out onto the road, "...and then to the airport.... and then to Australia!", he couldn't contain his excitement.

She looked out the window, at the bleak sky and the sleet covering the sidewalks, gardens and rooftops.

"Lucky us.... leaving this dreary weather for a red, hot Aussie summer!" Peter exclaimed.

A single tear slithered down her cheek, she roughly wiped it away, and turned to her husband, with a gritted smile; "yay" she said, lamely.

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He hadn't slept. Of course. He'd only thought of Juliet. He had been counting down the hours, and with each passing, he had felt his chest tightening, his head throbbing, and his breaths quickening.

It was now 8:00 AM. Two hours until they left.

Good. He could hang out for two hours. And then, once they were gone, there was nothing to be done, and that would be that.

Juliet would be gone, and so would his love for her.

He got up, pulling on his clothes, and made his way down to the studio. If he could just busy himself for two hours- be completely preoccupied, then the time would slip by without him even knowing it.

Mark had been determined to avoid any sort of confrontation with Juliet that he'd called Peter last night and lied about having to leave town on the day of their flight, to deliver a few purchases. So, Peter and Mark had gone out to the pub for an hour or so, had a few beers, and said their goodbyes. This way, there was no excuse for Peter and Jules to drop by before heading to Heathrow.

"Right...." Mark murmured, glancing down at this watch. - 8:15 AM. Just gotta hang in there, he thought, as he glanced around his studio, thinking of any chores that needed doing.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

He wrapped his arms tight around her, "don't know what I'm going to do without you," he murmured as he released her.

She gently wiped away tears and smiled softly, "you have a mission of lurve to keep yourself busy with!" she playfully poked him in the stomach.

Jamie nodded half-heartedly.

She went on her tippy-toes, and kissed his cheek, "I'll call when we land". He nodded, and watched as Peter opened her car door for her. Before Peter got in himself, Jamie called out to him "look after her!", Peter smiled and nodded, "or I'll bloody kill you" Jamie mumbled under his breath, and waved as the car pulled out.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

After clearing his desk, sweeping the floor for five minutes and dusting a few photo frames, Mark found himself in a hopeless panic. Looking to his watch every five seconds.

It was now 9:05.

There was nothing left to do but sit and wait. Which he just couldn't do. Not while thinking about Juliet. It was impossible. He wanted her. He needed her.

"Bollocks! Bugger! Fuck! Shit! Horse-radish!" ...Ok, so the last one just slipped out. He couldn't help it. He was a mess.

With nothing left to do in the gallery; he trudged up to the loft and flicked the radio on, and looked out the window to the world below as a new song started to play.

_**You don't know what you do to me**_

_**Sometimes I find**_

_**You knock me off my feet**_

_**Oh how I wish**_

_**That we could be alone**_

_**Oh how I wish to me**_

_**That you belonged**_

Just. His. Luck. Another bloody love song. Typical.

_**I often watch you**_

_**When you're least aware**_

_**Even though I know**_

_**It's really rude to stare**_

_**Sometimes I find**_

_**I just can't help myself**_

_**'Cos I want you**_

_**want nobody else**_

Try as he might, he couldn't block the words out, and while he listened all he couldn't think about was Juliet.

_**My heart skips a beat**_

_**Whenever you are near**_

_**And I just don't know**_

_**What I'm gonna do**_

The first time they'd made love, he'd never known himself to feel such a sensation of pure and utter happiness.... and then such guilt and pain.

_**Oh how I wish**_

_**That you were here**_

_**Oh how I wish**_

_**That you were near**_

_**Holding me tight**_

_**Spending some time**_

_**Wish you were mine**_

She'd said she loved him.... the fist time she blurted out those words her eyes were wide and pleading, as tears ran down. He'd taken her in his arms and silently promised himself to never let her go..... oh god, why didn't he do that a few nights ago, when she'd said those words again? Instead, he'd walked away.... he'd walked away when he should have kissed her, held her.... Oh. My. God.

_**My thoughts revealed**_

_**I'm showing all the signs**_

_**When we're face to face**_

_**I can't look in your eyes**_

_**Sometimes I find**_

_**I just can't help myself**_

_**'Cos I want you**_

_**Want nobody else**_

"Bollocks!" Mark hissed. He didn't need any more persuasion; he knew just what he had to do. He raced down the stairs and out of the gallery, onto the street, quickly hailing a cab.

He'd be an absolute twat to let her go.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

_My heart skips a beat_

_Whenever you are near_

_And I just don't know_

_What I'm gonna do_

"Tickets, sir?"

Peter handed them over, grinning like an idiot. "Jules, you taking that bag?" he asked, turning to her. She didn't reply, she was too busy listening to the song that was playing, lightly tapping her foot.

"Jules?" he said again, "Jules?"

"Hmmm?"

"The bag?"

"I'm taking it in board" she murmured, concentrating on the words.

_Oh how I wish_

_That you were here_

_Oh how I wish_

_That you were near_

_Holding me tight_

_Spending some time_

_Wish you were mine_

"Come on" Peter said, grabbing her hand and pulling her along, she walked stiff beside him.

It was 9:15, still plenty of time to go for a wander through some duty-free shops, maybe have a cup of coffee...and then head for the gate. But Peter was so excited, he insisted on going straight to the departure lounge.

_My heart skips a beat_

_Whenever you are near_

_And I just don't know_

_What I'm gonna do_

They walked through massive crowds, Peter pulling her along like a dog on a leash. She tried to listen to the song as they walked along, but the words were lost amidst the noise.

"Peter, slow down!" Juliet insisted.

"Lets just get to this gate 9 and then I'll relax,..." he said, over his shoulder, dismissing her.

"No, Peter, can we just..." she tried calling out, but it was no use. He was a man on a mission in Heathrow Airport. Not a pretty sight.

"Peter!"

Finally, she slipped her hand out from his, and stood firm where she was. It took Peter only a second to feel she was gone, and backtrack.

"What are you doing, Jules? Come on! We have to go..." he said, reaching for her hand again.

Tentatively, she stepped back.

"Jules?"

She sucked in some air, feeling as though she was about to faint. "I...." She started, wearily.

"Jules!" Peter whined, "Come on!"

"No"

"What?" he huffed, "oh? Look if you want a bloody coffee, I'll go get you one once we are at the gate!"

She shook her head.

Here they were, standing amongst a sea of bustling people. Some passers by thought there might be a scene to watch, some sort of drama about to unfold. But Juliet knew Peter better than that.

"I...I cant" she stammered.

Peter, realizing she wasn't about to move anywhere, took a stance infront of her, as if waiting for her to explain herself.

"I can't do this Peter..."

"What? Do what, Jules?" he eyeballed the one or two people who thought their conversation was for public viewing.

"Australia? You don't want to go?"

"I never did.... but that's not what I mean!"

"Then what, Jules?!" he was starting to get angry. Angry and nervous. This wasn't the Juliet he knew.

She felt her knees uneasy beneath her as she slowly spoke. By the end of it all, she half-expected Peter to step forward and slap her...or, something. But she knew that wasn't Peter. He'd never hurt her. Although, right now, having said all her truths.... she wanted him to do something, to say some angry, hurtful words.... to make her feel bad, worse than she already did.

But in the end, he said nothing. He opened and closed his mouth a few times. Debating whether or not to say something. But, what could be said?

So, instead, he walked away. He turned from her, and made his way through the crowd. In a second or two, he was lost to the body of people.

And in so many ways, that hurt more than if he were to hit her or yell at her.

She sighed, enjoying the split second of elation that came from the truth.

And then, she turned and started running...

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Please, please?"

She shook her head firmly.

"Look..." he noted her name tag, "Cynthia?...The woman I love is about to get on that plane and I have to stop her or else I will live a miserable, lonely life, and on my death bed do you know what my final words will be?"

She shook her head again.

"Why! Oh why didn't Cynthia let me through?!"

She raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.

"Excuse me?" the man behind Mark pushed through, shoving Mark out of the way.

"Shit!" Mark yelled, attracting eyes.

"Could a Mr. William Smith please come to departure gate 11....Mr. William Smith"

Mark's eyes lit up as an idea formed in his head.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Juliet looked out of the cab's window. Suddenly, the weather didn't seem so bleak.

The sleet seemed to have disappeared from the gardens, rooftops and sidewalks.... and she was almost certain that the sun would break through the clouds...even though, at the moment, there was a light drizzle.....she just had a feeling.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Be quick, alright mate?"

Mark nodded obediently.

He'd slipped the woman one hundred pounds to turn her back while he gave one last attempt to win Juliet.

He cleared his throat, and switched the mic on.

"Err.... hello?"

His voice was heard throughout Heathrow. Coming through loud and clear on every single speaker in the airport. Nobody payed much attention as another announcement came on.

"Err...Juliet.... Juliet?" he cleared his throat again, "Look, Jules, its me.... Mark!"

All but one person payed any attention to the message coming over the loud speaker.

"I know I walked away. I know I told you to forget about me...to forget about us..."

The man's voice was beginning to attract some attention. A few people in the stores stopped what they were doing, and turned to the speakers to listen to his words, as did the people waiting in line, eating, reading the paper....

The woman behind Mark gave him the signal to hurry up. Her manager would be up here soon.

"But....ummm...don't!...OK? Look, I was an absolute twat!....I, I love you...really, madly, truly, deeply, honestly love you.... I have loved you for the longest time and I will not see you get on that plane because if you do...then....then I don't know what I'll do because you're my whole, entire world....you're it, Jules...you are all I need.....you're all I ever needed...."

"Hurry up!" the woman hissed. Mark nodded, turning back to the mic.

"So.... don't go, Jules..... Come and meet me at the main building...." He suddenly had a thought, and winced as he said his next words, "oh and...Peter, you are my best friend, I love you to death, man....and I'm sorry....but I do love Juliet!"

There was a mixed reaction around Heathrow. Some cheered, some booed.

"Go!" The woman behind him suddenly ordered.

He flipped the mic off, planted a kiss on the woman's cheek, and ran out the back door, to stand and wait for her...to pray she'd heard him and was now on her way.

To Mark's surprise, a small crowd had formed around the entrance aswell, as they waited for the mysterious Juliet.

"You stole you're best mates girlfriend?" Somebody jeered.

"That's pathetic!" came another.

"You horrible, horrible man!"

"Yeah.... alright, I'm a bastard!" Mark huffed.

Suddenly, the crowd parted.

Mark felt his chest heave with the anticipation....and then, deflate when he saw Peter striding towards him.

"Peter, Peter....look!" Mark tried, holding his hands up defensively.

Peter said nothing. Merely clenched his fist and punched Mark right in the eye.

He recoiled when the blow came, holding his face; "Jesus!"

"You lowsy son of a bitch!" Peter murmured, only to receive cheers from the crowd of on-lookers.

"Yes! Yes I know I am!"

"How the bloody hell could you?" Peter asked, looking at his former best friend as he held one hand over his already swelling eye.

"Because I love her!"

The crowd gave a low murmur of 'ahhh's'

Peter sniggered. "How long?"

"I have had a crush on her ever since you introduced us...."

"You hated her!"

"I liked her!" Mark retorted, trying to stand tall as he spoke with him, "I liked her too much, so I tried to hide it"

Peter shook his head in disbelief.

"I am so sorry....but....then things just happened....against my will, she found out how I felt and...and...."

"How long have you two been...?" Peter started, unable to finish the words.

"About two months"

The crowd gave another displeased boo.

Peter hung his head.

"But I really love her!....and I cant see her leave..... I can't not have her in my life!"

The crowd gave another low 'ahhhhhh'

"She feels the same way," Peter whispered.

"What?" Mark asked, suddenly realizing something, "where is she?"

"Gone?"

"WHAT?!"

"....After you..."

"What?"

The crowd sighed lovingly as they listened in.

"She told me everything" Peter looked up, "you're little announcement merely pushed the dagger in deeper"

"Sorry" Mark murmured, trying to control his excitement. Juliet had left.... to go and find him....

"You better go" Peter mumbled, looking Mark in the eye, "she went looking for you not twenty minutes ago...."

This time, the crowd gave a merry applause.

Peter and Mark seemed to only just now notice their fans, they looked around them curiously.

"Well, go!" Peter roared.

Mark nodded, and pushed past the cheering crowd.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

She had been waiting on the stoop of Mark's studio for twenty minutes.

A black cab rounded the corner. Juliet thought nothing of it, until it pulled up infront of her, outside Mark's studio.... and Mark himself stepped out.

She stood up, her smile disappearing when she noticed his swollen black eye.

"What the hell...." She started to ask.

"I went looking for you!"

She stopped herself, "what?"

"At the airport!"

She looked at him in disbelief. "I...I went looking for you too..."

"You told Peter?"

She nodded solemnly.

"...I told the whole of Heathrow" Mark sighed wearily.

"You did what?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Long story...." He started.

"Cut short?" she interrupted.

He grinned at her. "....Long story cut short...." He started again, "...I love you. And I'm sorry I was an absolute twat the other day when you tried to tell me how you were feeling...I should have listened.... I should have kissed you, and held you and never let you go....but I was an idiot.... I don't know why...."

She put a hand up, silencing him as she stepped forward, "You went chasing after me?"

He nodded sheepishly. "I'm glad you didn't go...."

"Me too"

"I'm sorry you had to tell Peter alone.... under those circumstances..."

"Is that how you got the black eye?...Peter?" she asked.

He nodded. "I love you, Jules"

She smiled, and felt her eyes begin to well yet again. "I love you too"

"I need you.... I just don't want to ever come close to losing you again"

She opened her mouth, about to say something...when Mark got down on one knee, and reached for her hand.

"I'm still a married woman, you know,..." she reminded him.

He smiled up at her, "well...I'm just making sure no one else gets in before me, once you're on the market again!"

She giggled.

"So....Juliet...will you do me the incredible honour of marrying me...?"

She got down on her knees aswell, and stared into his eyes, "you know I will!" she whispered, before wrapping her arms around him and pressing her lips against his.

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Later that night, sitting together on the couch infront of the telly.....

"And in other news tonight.... While at Heathrow Airport this morning, filming the PM as he arrived home from America, our camera crews caught this display of tough love..."

Juliet stared at the television in disbelief as it cut to Peter punching Mark in the eye.

She looked up at Mark who was blushing slightly.

"You got on the loud speaker at Heathrow Airport and proclaimed you're love for me?" She was smiling from ear to ear.

"Err...yeah...sort of...." He murmured.

Juliet leaned in, kissing him softly, and then pulled away, "you are brilliant!" she giggled, "I'm just sorry I wasn't there to hear it!" He wrapped his arms around her tighter and they both watched as they replayed Peter's punch in slow motion....

O fim

The End

AUTHORS NOTE

The two songs were;

Dido 'here with me' (which was used in the Mark/Juliet scene in the film)

And, Gabrielle 'I wish'.

Alrighty. So that's the last of it.

By the way 'O fim' is (maybe) Portuguese for 'the end'. Just incase you didn't pick up on that.

I don't know how I feel about the ending. I had two in mind.

The other was Juliet actually hearing him over the loud speaker. But I don't know, I just thought this one was cuter because Juliet got to have her little romantic moment when she left Peter to go looking for Mark.

Thanks for all the reviews. You're compliments, comments, criticisms....have all been wonderful and I appreciate every single last one!

Thanks for reading!


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